New U.S. ambassador pledges ‘stronger, more prosperous’ region as she arrives in Korea to a slew of challenges

INCHEON — Michelle Steel, the new U.S. ambassador to South Korea, pledged to advance U.S. President Donald Trump's vision for a region that is “stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before” — wading into a bilateral relationship weighed down by unresolved trade disputes, defense cost-sharing negotiations and domestic political controversy.

Arriving in Seoul on Thursday, Steel officially ended an 18-month diplomatic vacancy that has existed since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg departed in January 2025.

“I extend my warm greetings to the people of Korea,” she said in Korean during brief remarks to reporters at Incheon International Airport's briefing room. “I was born in Seoul, but today I stand here representing the United States […] I am deeply grateful to stand on this soil once again.”

Switching to English, the former U.S. congresswoman leaned on the legacy of the bilateral alliance, calling it one “forged in war and secured in blood” that has evolved into “one of the world's strongest alliances.”

She also referenced the diplomatic momentum built during the 2025 APEC summit in Gyeongju, where South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump outlined key strategic commitments.

“I look forward to working with the Republic of Korea to ensure our ironclad alliance remains a linchpin of peace and security in the region,” she said. “Together, we will carry President Trump's vision for the region: stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.”

Following her remarks, she left without taking questions from reporters.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry welcomed Steel's arrival.

“During her tenure, we expect Ambassador Steel — with her understanding of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the broader relationship — to make a meaningful contribution to strengthening ties and promoting friendship between our two peoples," spokesperson Park Il said during a press briefing Thursday, adding that her arrival should allow for “more effective and closer diplomatic communication” between the two governments, including advancement of the commitments outlined in the two countries' joint fact sheet signed in Gyeongju.

The Korean Embassy in the United States wrote on Thursday that South Korea's ambassador to the United States, Kang Kyung-wha, met with Steel in Washington on July 21 ahead of her posting.

Kang and Steel reaffirmed to advance the alliance and expand cooperation on shared priorities, including “shipbuilding, nuclear-powered submarines and advanced technologies,” the embassy wrote.

Steel, whose Korean name is Park Eun-joo, was born in Seoul in 1955 to parents who had fled North Korea during the Korean War. 

She is only the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to Seoul — following Sung Kim.

Before her diplomatic appointment, Steel served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2021 to 2025, representing California's 48th and 45th districts, and sat on the House Ways and Means Committee. During the first Trump administration, she co-chaired the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Her husband, Shawn Steel, who arrived with her, is a former chairman of the California Republican Party and a member of the Republican National Committee.

Their deep political ties place the couple close to the Republican Party's core leadership and, by extension, Trump himself — a factor observers say could give Seoul direct access to the White House.

Steel was nominated by Trump on April 13 and confirmed by the Senate on June 17.

Despite her historic appointment, Steel’s arrival comes against a backdrop of diplomatic and domestic tension.

Unlike the vast majority of her predecessors, who were career foreign service officers that rarely sparked pre-emptive public outrage, Steel enters as a seasoned political figure. Her outspoken legislative track record and partisan profile have made her arrival an unprecedented lightning rod for domestic political friction even before stepping foot on Korean soil.

During her May 20 confirmation hearing, Steel stressed that U.S. companies operating in Korea deserve "equal treatment" — remarks interpreted in Seoul as a sign she could take a tough line on Coupang, the U.S.-listed e-commerce firm now under Korean regulatory scrutiny over a massive data leak.

Progressive lawmakers and civic groups have criticized her as a hawkish figure, pointing to her firm stance on North Korean human rights, her containment policies regarding China and her ties to South Korea's conservative circles.

Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the progressive minor Rebuilding Korea Party named her one of "five anti-Korea" Korean American politicians and argued her appointment should be blocked. Song Young-gil, former leader of the ruling Democratic Party, expressed disappointment on social media last month that former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun had not been named instead.

The tension was visible at the airport on Thursday, where rival demonstrator groups gathered.

An anti-Steel rally repeatedly chanted “Michelle Steel, leave!”

One protester, who identified himself as a Coupang warehouse worker, accused Steel of political interference, claiming she came “to cover up for Coupang, not to do diplomacy,” and branded her a “political operative.” Another demonstrator likened her to Jeon Kwang-hoon, a far-right pastor known in Korea for his incendiary rhetoric.

A smaller counterprotest nearby attempted to drown out the chants, shouting “Long live the Korea-U.S. alliance!” 

Some wearing T-shirts reading “Free Yoon” — referring to ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol — yelled at the anti-Steel crowd to “go to North Korea,” a stock rejoinder Korea's conservative camp often uses against the political left.

Addressing the domestic pushback, foreign policy experts cautioned against mischaracterizing the new ambassador.

Kim Jae-chun, a professor at Sogang University's Graduate School of International Studies, pushed back on the “hard-liner” and “MAGA” labels being attached to Steel by critics.

He emphasized that Steel's political proximity to Washington should be viewed as an advantage for South Korea.

“She's Korean American, and she has real standing with the Trump administration,” Kim added. “That's something we should use well, not something to be wary of.”

Steel's formal credentials ceremony is expected to slip to next week, as the president and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun are currently on an official visit to South America.

BY SEO JI-EUN   [[email protected]]