The U.S. Senate confirmed Michelle Steel as ambassador to South Korea, completing the congressional approval process for the first Korean American woman and former member of Congress nominated to the post.
The Senate gave final approval to Steel’s nomination on June 17.
Steel, 71, will officially assume the post in Seoul after President Donald Trump signs her commission, she takes the oath of office and the South Korean government grants agrément, its formal consent to the appointment of a foreign ambassador.
The Senate approved the nomination by a vote of 55-39, with 94 senators participating.
All Republican senators voted in favor. Several opposition-aligned senators also supported Steel, including independent Sen. Angus King of Maine and Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.
Sen. Andy Kim, the only Korean American currently serving in the U.S. Senate, voted against the nomination.
Kim previously served alongside Steel in the House of Representatives. His vote was widely viewed as reflecting Democratic opposition to the Republican administration.
Some members of the Korean American community, however, expressed disappointment that partisan considerations appeared to outweigh the significance of U.S.-South Korea relations and the advancement of Korean American political representation.
The vote largely followed party lines.
Steel nevertheless cleared the Senate by a relatively comfortable margin compared with Kevin Kim, who was confirmed last month as U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Kevin Kim’s nomination narrowly passed on May 18 by a vote of 46-43.
Steel’s confirmation marks several historic firsts.
She is set to become the first former member of Congress to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea and the first Korean American woman to hold the position.
The U.S. ambassadorial post in Seoul has remained vacant for about 17 months since Philip Goldberg, who was appointed during the Biden administration, left the position in January 2025.
Steel’s Senate confirmation came about two months after Trump nominated her in April.
