U.S. ambassador visits downtown Starbucks in first outing since arrival

Michelle Steel, Washington’s new ambassador to Seoul, was spotted at a Starbucks store in downtown Seoul on Friday in her first outing since taking office.

In a video uploaded to Threads on Friday, Steel appears to be at what the uploader said was Starbucks’ Gwanghwamun branch, where she is heard asking whether others “want coffee.”

Her office has not provided an official itinerary for the ambassador’s schedule in Seoul, but she shared a photo on X the same day showing her next to the King Sejong statue in the central plaza. She first arrived in Korea on Thursday.

Starbucks' Gwanghwamun branch is around a 3-minute walk from the statue, while there are other Starbucks stores and cafes nearby.

Online commentators speculated that Steel may have visited the coffee chain in a show of support for the company, which originated in Seattle but is operated in Korea by Shinsegae Group’s Emart, after Starbucks Korea faced heavy backlash earlier this year over a marketing blunder.

Starbucks Korea drew criticism from the public and political figures after holding a “Tank Day” promotion on May 18, the anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, when troops and tanks were deployed to violently suppress demonstrators. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin personally apologized over what he called an “inexcusable mistake,” while the chain later closed for a half day at all stores nationwide for historical awareness and ethics training.

Steel's appointment as U.S. ambassador to Korea comes after an 18-month vacancy. She previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican representing a California district and on a presidential advisory commission during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term.

At her confirmation hearing in May, Steel said U.S. companies operating in Korea deserved “equal treatment,” a remark some observers in Seoul interpreted as a reference to possible diplomatic support for Coupang — the New York-listed e-commerce firm that came under fire for a massive data breach — and other U.S. companies.

“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 upon arriving at Incheon International Airport on Thursday. “Together, we will carry President Trump’s vision for the region: stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.”

BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]