New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel Takes Office: "Realizing Trump's Vision Together"

[Anchor]

The post of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, which has been vacant for the past year and a half, has been filled today as new Ambassador Michelle Steel took office. She is the second Korean-American U.S. ambassador to South Korea following former Ambassador Sung Kim, and the first Korean-American woman to hold the position. Attention is focused on whether discussions on pressing South Korea-U.S. issues, such as trade and security, will gain momentum.

Reporter Kim Hye-young has more.

[Reporter]

Arriving in the country this afternoon, newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel gave her opening remarks in Korean.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: I offer my sincere greetings to the people of South Korea. I was born in Seoul, but I stand here representing the United States.]

Ambassador Steel stated that South Korea and the United States should work together to 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 U.S. Representative. During her tenure in the House, she spearheaded efforts to check China and introduced bills concerning the human rights of North Korean defectors.

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 policy.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea (last May): I believe that just as Korean companies in the U.S. receive equal treatment, American companies operating in South Korea must also receive equal treatment.]

While Ambassador Steel's arrival fills the diplomatic vacuum that lasted for a year and a half, the two countries face a formidable set of pending issues.

A pile of pending trade and security tasks remains on the table, including the "Coupang issue" raised by the U.S. side regarding discrimination, trade matters such as investment in the U.S., and stalled security projects like nuclear cooperation and nuclear-powered submarine construction.

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

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