New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Arrives After 1.5 Years, Delivers First Greeting in Korean

[Anchor]

Michelle Steel, the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to South Korea, has assumed her post, ending a year-and-a-half vacancy. She is the second Korean-American to hold the position following former Ambassador Sung Kim and the first Korean-American woman to do so. Attention is now focused on whether this will accelerate the resolution of pending bilateral issues between Seoul and Washington.

Reporter Kim Hye-young has the details.

[Reporter]

Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel delivered her first greeting in Korean.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: I respectfully greet the people of Korea. Although I was born in Seoul, I stand here representing the United States.]

Ambassador Steel stated that South Korea and the United States should jointly realize U.S. President Trump's vision for the alliance.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: Together, we will realize President Trump's vision for this alliance, making it stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before.]

Born in Seoul in 1955 and immigrating to the U.S. in 1975, Ambassador Steel is a former two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. During her tenure in Congress, she spearheaded efforts on checking China and sponsoring legislation for North Korean defector human rights.

Known for her conservative stance advocating a hardline approach toward North Korea and China, she has also aligned with the Trump administration's America First agenda.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea (this past May): Just as South Korean companies in the U.S. receive equal treatment, I believe U.S. companies operating in South Korea should also receive equal treatment.]

While Ambassador Steel's arrival fills the ambassadorial vacancy that lasted for a year and a half, daunting bilateral issues remain to be resolved between South Korea and the U.S.

A pile of pending trade and security tasks awaits her attention, including the Coupang issue raised by the U.S. regarding discrimination, investment in the U.S., and stalled security projects such as nuclear cooperation and the construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

Ambassador Steel will submit a copy of her credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs next week and begin her official duties.

(Video by Cho Choon-dong | Video Editing by Won Hyung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.