On June 17, the Senate voted on the nomination during a session, passing it with 55 votes in favor and 39 against. Steel will receive her commission from President Donald Trump before taking up her post in South Korea.
She 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, Steel 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 the importance of strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance and improving the business environment for American companies operating in South Korea.
She also expressed her intention to review South Korea's commitments to U.S. investments and address non-tariff barriers that hinder foreign companies' market entry and operations. 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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