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U.S. Rep. Michelle Park Steel (Photo = Yonhap News Agency) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Eun-mi] Donald Trump has nominated Michelle Park Steel as the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea, marking the first such appointment in his second administration.
Steel, a prominent Korean American Republican and known ally of Trump, was born in Seoul in 1955 and raised in Japan before immigrating to the United States in the mid-1970s. She is fluent in both Korean and Japanese. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University and later obtained an MBA from the University of Southern California (USC).
Her political career began in the early 1990s following the Los Angeles riots, which highlighted the need for greater political representation within the Korean American community. She later served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2007 to 2015 and as an Orange County Supervisor from 2015 to 2020.
Steel was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 and re-elected in 2022, gaining recognition for winning multiple elections in traditionally Democratic-leaning districts. However, she narrowly lost her 2024 re-election bid by approximately 600 votes.
During her time in Congress, Steel was active on Korea-related issues, including legislation supporting Korean War separated families, advocating for increased COVID-19 vaccine support for South Korea, and addressing historical issues such as the comfort women dispute. She has also taken strong positions on North Korean human rights and China-related policies, including opposition to forced repatriation of North Korean defectors and calls to close Confucius Institutes.
Her family background has influenced her political stance—her parents were North Korean defectors, and she has publicly cited their experiences under communism as shaping her commitment to defending freedom.
Steel has maintained close political ties with Trump, who publicly endorsed her during the 2024 election. She also served as co-chair of the Asia-Pacific advisory committee during Trump’s first administration.
Observers in Washington suggest her nomination signals a continued emphasis on alliance management alongside a firm stance on China. At the same time, Steel has consistently stressed the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance regardless of political differences between the two governments.
If confirmed by the Senate, Steel would become the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea, succeeding former ambassador Sung Kim and filling a vacancy that has lasted over a year.
Alphabiz 김은미 인턴기자(kfootle@alphabiz.co.kr)
