Key facts
- Michelle Steel arrived in Seoul on Thursday to assume her role as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.
- The ambassadorial post had been vacant since January 2025.
- South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha met with Steel on July 21.
- Kang requested Steel's help in advancing the bilateral alliance's 'new leap forward'.
- Steel pledged to further advance the alliance and maintain it as a key element of regional peace and security.
Michelle Steel arrived in Seoul on Thursday to assume her post as the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, filling a position that had been vacant since January 2025. Prior to her departure, Steel met with South Korea's Ambassador to the United States, Kang Kyung-wha, on July 21.
During their meeting, Ambassador Kang asked Ambassador Steel to play an important role in advancing the bilateral alliance's "new leap" forward. The Korean Embassy stated that Kang emphasized the developing partnership between the two countries, which is expanding cooperation beyond security to include the economy, cutting-edge technologies, shipbuilding, and nuclear energy.
Steel responded by saying she would contribute to further advancing the alliance. Upon her arrival in South Korea, Steel vowed to ensure the alliance remains the "linchpin" of regional peace and security, describing it as one of the world's strongest.