US Ambassador Michelle Steel presented her credentials to the South Korean president on Wednesday
US Ambassador Michelle Steel (left) stands for a photo with President Lee Jae Myung (center) and her husband, Shawn Steel (right), after presenting her credentials at the Blue House on Aug. 12, 2026. (Yonhap)
During his first meeting with newly appointed US Ambassador Michelle Steel on Wednesday, Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he hoped that Steel, with her deep understanding of Korean culture and society, would serve as a “strong bridge” for further strengthening and advancing the two countries’ alliance.Lee made the remarks during a one-on-one conversation with Steel following a ceremony at the Blue House where she and several other ambassadors presented their credentials, as related by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.“I believe the various outstanding issues between our two countries can be smoothly resolved through reasonable, proactive dialogue and cooperation, which will further advance our bilateral relations,” Lee told the new US envoy to Seoul. It’s traditional for a newly appointed ambassador to present the head of state of the country they are to represent with a letter of credence from the head of state of their own country.According to Kang, Steel told the Korean president that she was very pleased to be posted to Korea and promised to communicate actively with the Korean government and people and to work for mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two countries.Steel, a Korean American politician from California, served two terms in the US House of Representatives with the Republican Party. She was accompanied at the ceremony on Wednesday by her husband, the attorney Shawn Steel, who is also a prominent Republican politician.Lee also received letters of credence Wednesday from Portuguese Ambassador Vanda Maria Dias Stelzer Sequeira, United Arab Emirates Ambassador Jamal Abdullah Al Suwaidi, and Irish Ambassador Sean Hoy.By Shim Woo-sam, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
