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By Oh Seok-min and Chae Yun-hwan

YEONGJONGDO/SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel said Thursday she is ready to work with Seoul to ensure the decadeslong bilateral alliance remains the "linchpin" of regional peace and security, describing it as one of the world's strongest alliances.

Steel made the remarks shortly after her arrival at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, to assume her post as the first U.S. envoy to Seoul since President Donald Trump returned to office in January last year.

"Our alliance was forged in war and secured by blood of those who stood shoulder to shoulder to defend freedom," she said, referring to the 1950-53 Korean War. "Today it stands as one of the world's strongest alliances."

"I look forward to working with the Republic of Korea to ensure that our ironclad alliance remains the linchpin of peace and security in the region."

Her arrival comes as Seoul and Washington face a series of pending security and economic issues, including South Korean investment pledges in the U.S., civilian nuclear cooperation, Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and tensions over Seoul's regulatory action against U.S.-listed Coupang over a massive data breach.

Steel noted Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung opened a "new chapter" in the alliance during their summit in Gyeongju in October, where the allies made a series of agreements on security and trade.

A joint fact sheet issued after the summit outlined Seoul's bid to build nuclear-powered submarines and other plans for bilateral cooperation, such as on nuclear energy and shipbuilding.

"Together we will carry President Trump's vision for this alliance forward, stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before," she said.

Steel was nominated by Trump in April and confirmed by the U.S. Senate last month. The ambassadorial post had been vacant since her predecessor, Philip Goldberg, left South Korea in January last year.

A Korean American Republican politician, Steel was born in Seoul in 1955 and immigrated to the United States in the mid-1970s. She served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing California from 2020 to 2024.

In her remarks, Steel said in Korean that she felt grateful to return to South Korea.

Steel is the second Korean American to serve as the top U.S. envoy to South Korea, following Sung Kim, who served in Seoul from 2011 to 2014.

Steel's nomination had drawn criticism from some progressive civic groups here, which view her as a conservative figure.

Some civic group activists gathered at the airport to protest her appointment.

Seoul's foreign ministry welcomed Steel's arrival.

"(We) expect Ambassador Steel will make meaningful contributions to the strengthening of South Korea-U.S. relations and promoting friendship between the peoples of both countries based on her understanding of the alliance," Park Il, the ministry's spokesperson, said.

graceoh@yna.co.kr

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

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