Key facts
- Michelle Steel has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the ambassador to South Korea.
- The confirmation vote was 55-39.
- President Donald Trump nominated Steel for the position in April.
- Steel previously served as a Korean American congresswoman.
- She vowed to ensure American companies in South Korea are not discriminated against.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michelle Steel, a former two-term Korean American congresswoman, as the United States' ambassador to South Korea. The upper chamber approved Steel in a 55-39 vote on Wednesday (U.S. time).
President Donald Trump had nominated Steel for the ambassadorial post in April. The position has been vacant since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg departed South Korea in January of the previous year. Steel will be the second Korean American to serve as the top U.S. envoy to South Korea, following Sung Kim, who held the post from 2011 to 2014.
The South Korean government granted its prior consent, known as agrement, for Steel's appointment on Thursday, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. With administrative procedures largely complete on both sides, observers anticipate Steel will likely assume her duties no later than next month, pending final U.S. procedures such as the issuance of her credentials by President Trump.
During her confirmation hearing, Steel pledged to ensure that American companies operating in South Korea would not face discrimination. She also expressed commitment to advancing legislation addressing the issue of Korean Americans separated from relatives in North Korea following the Korean War.
Steel served in the House of Representatives after being elected in 2020 and reelected in 2022, before losing her seat in the 2024 general election. Her prior public service includes roles on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the California State Board of Equalization. Her husband, Shawn Steel, is an attorney who previously chaired the California Republican Party and currently serves as the Republican national committeeman from California.