President Donald Trump has selected former California Representative Michelle Steel for the position of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, the White House revealed Monday, filling a diplomatic role that has remained empty throughout Trump’s current presidency.
Steel’s appointment requires Senate confirmation before she can officially take the post representing American interests in Seoul, one of the nation’s most important strategic partnerships in Asia.
According to media reports, South Korean presidential officials expressed optimism Tuesday about Steel’s potential appointment, stating they anticipate she would help strengthen the relationship between both nations and foster deeper connections between American and South Korean citizens.
The ambassadorial position has been temporarily filled by State Department official Kevin Kim since October, around the time of Trump’s diplomatic visit to South Korea. The previous Senate-confirmed ambassador was Philip Goldberg, who received his appointment under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Steel, who is Korean-American and represents conservative Republican values, recently concluded her congressional career after losing a close reelection battle in Orange County to Democratic challenger Derek Tran, a Vietnamese-American candidate, following two complete terms in office.
Media coverage of that 2024 congressional race described it as particularly contentious, with both Steel and Tran trading accusations of using divisive red-baiting strategies against one another during the campaign.
