Close communication with incoming US ambassador will be key for alliance

The nomination of Michelle Steel as the new US ambassador to South Korea, while a significant event, is met with a mix of hope and apprehension by the Hankyoreh. The extended delay in this appointment, over a year after President Trump took office, stands in stark contrast to the expedited process for the ambassador to Japan, suggesting a potential disparity in how the US values its alliance with South Korea.

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Seeing as all these issues could have major ramifications for the future of the ROK-US alliance and the destiny of the Korean nation, we hope they can be dealt with wisely through close communication with the incoming US ambassador.

This delay is particularly concerning given the pressing issues facing the ROK-US alliance. The implementation of the joint fact sheet on tariffs and security, and the crucial return of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul, are matters with profound implications for the future of both nations and the Korean peninsula. The article highlights that progress on these fronts has been sluggish, with discussions on sensitive topics like South Korea's nuclear-powered submarines and uranium enrichment effectively paused since the US-led bombing campaign against Iran.

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Born in Seoul in 1955, Steel is a first-generation Korean immigrant to America who gained citizenship after coming to the US in 1975. After being elected to the US House of Representatives in 2020, she became one of the leading Korea watchers in the Republican Party.

Furthermore, the article touches upon the shifting mission of US Forces Korea, from defending the peninsula to countering China, and the anxieties this engenders among Koreans, especially in light of attacks on Gulf states for hosting US bases. The long-standing goal of regaining wartime OPCON, a priority for progressive administrations, remains a significant challenge.

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The timing of this appointment contrasts unfavorably with Trump’s appointment of the US ambassador to Japan last April, just three months after Trump returned to office. That suggests there’s still quite a bit of daylight between how the US views the two countries.

As a publication that has often critically examined the US-ROK alliance and US foreign policy under the Trump administration, the Hankyoreh emphasizes the need for proactive and close communication with Ambassador Steel. The hope is that she will serve as a bridge, fostering a more balanced and mutually beneficial relationship, rather than one dictated by unilateral US interests. The article implicitly calls for a more engaged and responsive approach from the US, recognizing South Korea's strategic importance and its own national security imperatives.

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Korea’s alliance with the US and the free trade regime — long the basis of Korea’s peace and prosperity — have been undermined by a number of unilateral moves by the US since the beginning of Trump’s second term last year.