Washington: The nominee for the top U.S. envoy to South Korea emphasized her commitment to enhancing America's national security and economic prosperity through reinforcing the alliance between Seoul and Washington.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Michelle Steel, a former Korean American congresswoman, made these remarks during her confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Her potential role is anticipated to address several pending tasks with Seoul, including the modernization of the bilateral alliance and strengthening trade cooperation.
During the hearing, Steel remarked on her previous efforts in Congress to bolster national security, preserve economic prosperity, protect American workers and businesses, and advance human rights, particularly in her role on the Ways and Means Committee. She expressed her intention to continue this commitment by strengthening the alliance with the Republic of Korea, which she described as the "linchpin" of peace, security, and prosperity in Northeast Asia.
Steel further highlighted the robust defense posture anchored by 28,500 members of U.S. Forces Korea, reinforced by America's extended nuclear deterrent, as the bedrock of the alliance. Additionally, she commented on a joint fact sheet released by Seoul and Washington in November, which outlines bilateral security and trade agreements and includes a significant upgrade to security cooperation.
On the economic front, Steel identified South Korea as a vital trading partner and investor in rebuilding American industry. She welcomed the U.S.-ROK strategic trade investment deal, in which South Korea commits to investing $350 billion in U.S. strategic industries and reducing barriers to U.S. exports. Steel emphasized that American companies operating in Korea deserve the same market access that Korean companies enjoy in the U.S.
Reflecting on her personal history, Steel shared a Korean saying that means "after hardship comes joy," recounting her parents' journey fleeing North Korea to the South during the 1950-53 Korean War. Her family later moved to Japan, and Steel eventually relocated to the U.S. at her father's encouragement to study in what he viewed as a "beacon of hope, freedom, and prosperity."
Last month, Steel was nominated by Trump as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea. If confirmed, she will fill the ambassadorial position left vacant since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg's departure in January last year. Steel would become the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea, following former Ambassador Sung Kim, who served from 2011-2014.