The Blue House announced on Tuesday that it anticipates Michelle Steel, a Korean-American former U.S. Representative nominated by the Donald Trump administration as the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, will contribute to strengthening U.S.-Korea relations and enhancing friendship between the citizens of both countries once she is officially appointed.
A Blue House official confirmed through a press release that the government is aware of the U.S. decision to officially nominate former Representative Michelle Steel for the ambassador position.
Born in Seoul in 1955, Steel immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1975. She served as a U.S. Representative from California from 2021 to 2025.
The nomination of Steel as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea fills a position that has been vacant for over a year.
The ambassador nominee must undergo a hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and pass a confirmation vote in the full Senate before being appointed. If she successfully completes this process, Steel will become the second Korean-American U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, following Sung Kim.