“As someone whose parents once owned small businesses, I know first-hand trying to reopen after closing is sometimes nearly impossible, and we simply cannot allow that here at home.”

American politician and diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea

Michelle Eunjoo Steel is an American politician and diplomat who serves as the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. She was nominated for the post on April 13, 2026, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 17, 2026, by a 55 to 39 vote. Her public career has centered on politics and diplomacy. The available facts place her in a high-profile foreign policy role representing the United States in South Korea.