Senate panel advances Michelle Steel as US ambassador to South Korea in 14-8 vote

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 14-8 on June 5, 2026 to advance Michelle Steel's nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Yonhap reported. Steel, a former two-term Korean American member of the House of Representatives, was nominated by President Trump in April; her confirmation hearing took place May 20, 2026.

If confirmed by the full Senate, she would become the second Korean American to serve as the top U.S. envoy to Seoul, following Sung Kim (2011-2014). The ambassadorship had been vacant since Philip Goldberg's departure in January 2025. At her hearing, Steel pledged to ensure American companies operating in South Korea 'are not discriminated against,' and her brief is expected to span alliance modernization, trade-deal implementation and responses to North Korean threats.

The May 20 SFRC nominations hearing also covered other envoy picks, including David Brat (to Australia), Eric Wendt (Albania) and Michael Kavoukjian (Norway), with Brat highlighting critical minerals and Indo-Pacific defense cooperation. The advancement reflects the Trump administration's continued reshuffling of senior diplomatic posts.