Senate panel approves nomination for U.S. ambassador to S. Korea

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A Senate committee approved U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. ambassador to South Korea on Thursday, sending her nomination to the full chamber for a confirmation vote.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 14-8 to advance the nomination of Michelle Steel, a former two-term Korean American congresswoman.

If confirmed, Steel would become the second Korean American to serve as the United States' top envoy to South Korea, following former Ambassador Sung Kim, who served in Seoul as ambassador from 2011–2014.

Michelle Steel, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to South Korea, speaks during her confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the Capitol in Washington on May 20, 2026, in this photo captured from a livestream from the committee's website. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

In April, Trump nominated Steel for the ambassador post, which has been left vacant since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg left South Korea in January last year.

The nomination came as Seoul and Washington face a series of joint tasks, including "modernizing" the bilateral alliance, implementing a bilateral trade agreement, and cooperating on regional and global challenges, including North Korean threats and the Middle East conflict.

During her confirmation hearing last month, she vowed to ensure that American companies operating in South Korea are not discriminated against, if she is confirmed.