U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Sison to arrive soon, embassy expects stronger ties

The new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Michelle Sison, is expected to arrive in Seoul shortly, according to an announcement from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

The embassy introduced Sison via its X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, "We are pleased to introduce our new Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Michelle Sison." The statement continued, "Ambassador Sison will be arriving in Seoul soon and looks forward to further strengthening the relationship between our two countries."

A video accompanying the announcement featured Sison speaking in a mix of English and Korean. "It is a great honor to be appointed as the next Ambassador to the Republic of Korea," she said. "I look forward to meeting you all soon."

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Ambassador Sison will be arriving in Seoul soon and looks forward to further strengthening the relationship between our two countries.

Sison's appointment follows her recent confirmation by the U.S. Senate and her receipt of agrément from the South Korean government. The position of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea has been vacant since January 2023, following the departure of Ambassador Philip Goldberg. Acting ambassadors have been fulfilling the duties in the interim.

Sison, born in Seoul in 1955, is the second ambassador of Korean heritage to serve in South Korea, following Sung Kim (2011-2014). She is also the first ambassador appointed by the Biden administration to this post. Sison's background includes service as a member of the California State Board of Equalization and as an Orange County Supervisor. She also served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for four years, beginning in 2021.

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It is a great honor to be appointed as the next Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. I look forward to meeting you all soon.