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Donald Trump has nominated Michelle Steel, a former Republican congresswoman from California, to serve as the United States ambassador to South Korea — a diplomatic post that has remained vacant throughout his second term despite the country's standing as one of America's closest strategic allies in Asia.
The White House formally announced the nomination on Monday, though it must still receive congressional approval before Steel can take office. South Korea's presidential office responded positively on Tuesday, expressing hope that Steel, once officially appointed, would help deepen bilateral relations and foster stronger people-to-people ties between the two nations.
In the interim, senior State Department official Kevin Kim has been fulfilling the role of acting ambassador since October of last year. He stepped into the position shortly before Trump's visit to South Korea. The most recent Senate-confirmed ambassador to Seoul was Philip Goldberg, who was appointed under former President Joe Biden.
Steel, a Korean-American born in Seoul, brings a unique personal connection to the role. A two-term representative for California's Orange County, she narrowly lost her 2024 reelection bid to Democrat Derek Tran, a Vietnamese-American challenger. The competitive congressional race between the two Asian-American candidates drew national attention and controversy, with both campaigns trading accusations of red-baiting tactics.
Her nomination is widely seen as a symbolic and strategic move, given her Korean heritage and longstanding ties to the Korean-American community. If confirmed, Steel would be the first Korean-American to hold the U.S. ambassadorship in Seoul, a development likely to resonate strongly on both sides of the Pacific.
The appointment comes at a critical time for U.S.-South Korea relations, as both countries navigate ongoing regional security challenges, including continued tensions with North Korea.
