The Senate confirmed Michelle Steel as the United States' ambassador to South Korea. President Donald Trump nominated her for the position in April. The role had been vacant since former Ambassador Philip Goldberg left Korea in January last year. Michelle Steel would become the second Korean American to serve as the U.S.' top envoy to South Korea; former Ambassador Sung Kim held the position from 2011 to 2014. The Senate voted 55-39 to confirm her, according to ocregister.com. U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff voted against her confirmation, while Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor. The vote was largely along party lines, according to ocregister.com. Michelle Steel is 70 years old, was born in South Korea, raised in Japan, and immigrated to the U.S. at age 19. According to keia.org, she served as a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, on the California State Board of Equalization from 2007 to 2015, and on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2015 to 2021. According to koreaherald.com, Steel vowed during her confirmation hearing to ensure that American companies operating in South Korea are not discriminated against. The Senate confirmed Michelle Steel as ambassador to South Korea, and the position is relevant to ongoing U.S.-South Korea cooperation on security and trade.