Newly arrived U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Park Steel has expressed her determination to focus on developing the ROK-U.S. alliance in the direction agreed upon by U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in October of last year.

In a contributed op-ed to Yonhap News titled "The ROK-U.S. Alliance: Strong, Modern, and Results-Oriented," Ambassador Steel said today (the 31st), "I look forward to working together with the Republic of Korea so that our ironclad alliance remains the linchpin for peace and security in the region and continues to meet the needs of both our peoples."

She stated, "Together, we will build on President Trump's vision for the ROK-U.S. alliance: an alliance that is safer, stronger, and more prosperous than ever before."

Noting that President Trump and President Lee opened a "new chapter" in the ROK-U.S. alliance in Gyeongju in October of last year, Ambassador Steel stated, "I will do my utmost to faithfully implement the vision presented by President Trump in Gyeongju."

"Under President Trump's leadership, the United States is modernizing and deepening the ironclad ROK-U.S. alliance in unprecedented ways," Ambassador Steel noted, adding, "Together, we must rebuild and expand critical industries, counter strategic threats to the alliance, and safeguard our shared democratic principles."

The summit meeting between the ROK and U.S. leaders in Gyeongju last October, mentioned by Ambassador Steel, concluded negotiations in the tariff and security sectors, the details of which were announced through a joint ROK-U.S. fact sheet in November.

The core of the agreement includes South Korea's $350 billion investment in the U.S. to rebuild and expand critical industries, tariff cuts by the U.S., modernization of the ROK-U.S. alliance through South Korea's increased defense spending and leading combined conventional defense against North Korea, and coordination on Korean Peninsula and regional issues.

Emphasizing "unwavering confidence" in the ROK-U.S. alliance, Ambassador Steel said, "At such a critical time as this, we must join forces to open the next chapter of the alliance and ensure that the ROK-U.S. alliance remains results-oriented and future-oriented."

She evaluated, "Since 1953, the ROK-U.S. alliance has served as a linchpin for peace, security, and prosperity in Northeast Asia, the broader Indo-Pacific region, and beyond. Our economic ties, combined defense posture, and the enduring friendship between our two peoples are a testament to a partnership that benefits both nations and maintains regional stability."

However, Ambassador Steel also acknowledged the reality that differences do exist between the two countries despite the solid ROK-U.S. alliance.

She stated, "Much work still lies ahead of us, and we must never underestimate those challenges," adding, "While we have made wonderful progress on many shared priorities, other issues continue to require more attention, candid dialogue, and a willingness on both sides to move beyond differences and seek paths of mutual benefit."

Ambassador Steel did not specifically elaborate on which pending issues between the ROK and the U.S. require "candid dialogue" and "a willingness to seek paths of mutual benefit beyond differences."

From the U.S. perspective, a primary area of interest is the swift implementation of South Korea's agreed-upon $350 billion investment in the United States.

Additionally, some figures within the Trump administration and Congress perceive that South Korea discriminates against U.S. companies regarding its response to Coupang's personal data leak incident and digital regulations.

In the security sector, the two countries have previously shown differences over the target timeline for transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea, and the U.S. expects South Korea to contribute more to security issues outside the Korean Peninsula, such as checking China and securing the Strait of Hormuz.

Ambassador Steel, who was born in Seoul in 1955 and immigrated to the United States in 1975, stated that countless Korean-American families like her own are "living proof of the enduring ties between our two countries."

She also shared that her experience of her mother, who ran a small clothing store, receiving unfair treatment from tax authorities led her onto the path of public service.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to take on the responsibility of representing President Trump, returning to the country of my birth, and working on behalf of the American people," she stated.

(Photo: Yonhap News)