Michelle Steel

Michelle Eunjoo Steel (néePark, born June 21, 1955) is an American politician and diplomat who is the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. Steel was nominated to the position on April 13, 2026 and confirmed by a 55–39 vote of the U.S. Senate on June 17, 2026.

She served as the U.S. representative for California's 45th congressional district from 2023 to 2025, previously representing the 48th congressional district from 2021 to 2023. Steel, fellow California Republican Young Kim and Washington Democrat Marilyn Strickland were the first Korean-American women to serve in Congress. A member of the Republican Party, she concurrently served as a member of House minority whipSteve Scalise's Whip Team for the 117th Congress. Steel ran for re-election to a third term in 2024, but she was defeated in the general election by Democratic challenger Derek Tran.

Steel served as the member of the Orange CountyBoard of Supervisors from the 2nd district from 2015 to 2021 and of the California State Board of Equalization from the 3rd district from 2007 to 2015.