On June 17, the Senate voted to approve Steel's nomination with 55 votes in favor and 39 against. Following her appointment by President Donald Trump, she is expected to take up her post in South Korea soon.
Steel will be the second Korean American to serve as the 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 in 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 non-tariff barriers upon taking office. Non-tariff barriers refer to regulations and policies that make it difficult for foreign companies to enter or operate in the market, even if they do not involve tariffs. Consequently, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea is expected to address both security alliances and trade and investment issues after her arrival.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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