Michelle Park Steel Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea

President Donald Trump has nominated former U.S. Representative Michelle Park Steel for the position of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, a post that has been vacant for over a year. Michelle Park Steel's appointment as Ambassador to South Korea is set to be finalized after a U.S. Senate confirmation process, and if approved, she would become the first Korean-American woman to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.

The nominee for the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Michelle Park Steel, whose Korean name is Park Eun-ju, was born in Seoul in 1955 and immigrated to the U.S. at age 20. Her parents are displaced persons from North Korea.

Ms. Steel entered politics following the 1992 Los Angeles riots and served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization. She was the first Korean-American elected as an Orange County Supervisor. From 2021, she served as a Republican U.S. Representative for California for four years. Michelle Park Steel voted against the impeachment of then-President Donald Trump in 2021.

President Trump described Ms. Steel as a "pro-America patriot who escaped communism." The Blue House (South Korean Presidential Office) stated that if Michelle Park Steel is formally appointed, she will contribute to strengthening South Korea-U.S. relations and promoting friendship between the people of both countries.