Memory lane to embassy row: Michelle Steel reconnects with Seoul
The new U.S. ambassador to South Korea visited Namdaemun Market days after arriving in Seoul, underscoring her personal ties to the country and the start of her diplomatic mission.
Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel, left, poses for a photo with a vendor in a traditional Korean market in central Seoul while holding a hotteok, a sweet Korean pancake, in this photo uploaded to her X account on Aug. 1.SCREEN CAPTURE
Michelle Steel, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, was spotted at Seoul's Namdaemun Market in Jung District, central Seoul, on Saturday, in the latest of a series of visits highlighting her longstanding connection to Korea and its people.
“Returning to Namdaemun Market after so many years brought back so many memories,” Steel wrote on her X account the same day. “Much has changed, but the warmth, energy and familiar sights felt just as I remembered.”
Steel arrived in South Korea on Thursday to assume her official duties, ending an 18-month vacancy in the position. She is also the first Korean American woman to be the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.
Dressed casually, Steel and her husband, attorney Shawn Steel, are seen wandering through the market whilst making finger-heart gestures and stopping to browse the shops. Another photo shows Steel holding a hotteok, a sweet Korean pancake, while posing with a smiling vendor.
“It is wonderful to rediscover Seoul — a city that is both familiar and new to me,” she added.
Steel also posted a photo on Friday in front of the statue of King Sejong at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, located next to the U.S. Embassy in South Korea.
“Walking past the King Sejong statue today reminded me of [South] Korea’s remarkable legacy of innovation and leadership,” she wrote on X. “Excited for the journey ahead.”
Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel, right, poses with her husband, attorney Shawn Steel, in Namdaemun Market, central Seoul, in this photo uploaded on her X on Aug. 1.SCREEN CAPTURE
Born in Seoul in 1955 to displaced parents from North Korea, Steel is a Korean American who spent her middle and high school years in Japan. She moved to the United States with her family in 1975.
Steel later served as an elected member of the California State Board of Equalization and as the Supervisor and Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She also served four years as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2021.
Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel arrives at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on July 30.NEWS1
She is the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea after former Ambassador Sung Kim, who served under the Barack Obama administration.
The ambassadorial post had been filled on an acting basis since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg left office on Jan. 7, 2025. Former U.S. State Department Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun, U.S. Ambassador to Asean Kevin Kim and Deputy Chief of Mission James “Jim” Heller each served as acting ambassador.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
