On June 17, the Senate voted to approve Steel's nomination with 55 votes in favor and 39 against. She will receive her commission from President Donald Trump before taking up her post in South Korea.
Steel will be the second Korean American to serve as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, following former Ambassador Sung Kim. Born in Seoul in 1955, she moved to the United States in 1975 and has served as a commissioner for the California Board of Equalization and as a supervisor for Orange County. From 2021 to 2025, she was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Steel was nominated by President Trump in April and underwent Senate confirmation hearings last month. During the hearings, she emphasized strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance and improving the business environment for American companies operating in South Korea as key priorities.
She also expressed her intention to review South Korea's commitments to U.S. investments and address non-tariff barriers that complicate market entry and operations for foreign companies. Following her appointment, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea is expected to address both security alliances and trade and investment issues.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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