ACTION ALERT: Block Michelle Park Steel
as US Ambassador to South Korea
Action Network

We oppose the nomination of Michelle Park Steel as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, and call for an immediate withdrawal of her nomination.

(May 14, 2026) — As Korean peace advocates, we oppose the nomination of former U.S. Representative Michelle Park Steel as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, the highest-ranking diplomatic representative of the United States to South Korea.

On undermining the prospects for lasting peace in Korea

The Korean War never ended, but was merely suspended by an armistice agreement. More than 70 years later, the absence of a peace treaty means the Korean Peninsula remains technically at war. This unresolved conflict fuels military tensions, keeps families divided, and sustains the cycle of hostility. A formal peace agreement between the United States and two Koreas would officially end the war, reduce the threat of renewed fighting, and create the foundation for lasting peace and security.

A peace agreement would further strengthen global stability, open doors for economic and diplomatic cooperation in the region, and reduce rising international tensions. However, Steel’s nomination would pose a major obstacle to this path to peace.

As Congresswoman, Steel took a staunchly conservative, hardline approach to China and North Korea including by firmly opposing efforts to end the Korean War. The current Lee Jae Myung administration has expressed their intent to pursue inter-Korean dialogue in furtherance of lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. Steel’s nomination not only risks undermining building lasting peace in Korea, but also would pose a friction point for the U.S.-ROK alliance.

Steel does not represent the interests of the majority of U.S. voters who want peace and dialogue with North Korea. Steel’s nomination has also been highly controversial and polarizing in South Korea, resulting in mass protests in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. Several South Korean civic groups have raised concerns about her appointment, while some far‑right fringe groups have been energized by it in part due to her prior support of the now-impeached far right South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

On the Expansion of U.S. Military
Spending and “Deterrence” Funding
With little prior experience or knowledge in international relations, Steel is an advocate for increased military funding and a more aggressive defense posture under the theme of “deterring North Korea” and “countering China.” She also voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in 2023, including advocating for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) to deter China. Increasing military spending fuels arms races, deepens mistrust between countries, and further destabilizes international relations, not to mention diverting critical funds away from genuine peace-building initiatives.

Steel’s unquestioning support for exorbitant defense spending is not only detrimental to pursuing sustainable peace efforts, but also effectively contributes to the U.S. forever war economy, which will allow the Pentagon budget to soar to an estimated $1.5 trillion by 2027. Steel’s nomination will contribute to exacerbating tensions between the U.S. and China, thereby worsening the security crisis in East Asia and globally.

On Commitment to Women, Peace, and Security
The U.S. has committed by law to advancing women’s participation in peace processes, including by the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Act of 2017. However, Steel has consistently shown that she is not interested in protecting or empowering women’s rights at home and her lackluster record offers little indication that she will ensure the U.S. abides by international law for women, peace, and security measures.

On Failing to Represent Interests
of Asian-American communities
If elected, Steel would be the second Korean American ever to serve as the top U.S. envoy in Seoul. Yet Steel’s troubling record of promoting divisive rhetoric and even weaponizing inflammatory “McCarthyist” imagery has directly harmed Asian American and immigrant communities. Korean American leaders – including comfort women survivors, their descendants, peace activists, and divided family members – know that Steel’s hawkish, hardline posture towards the peninsula will worsen inter-Korean and U.S.-Korea relations and foreclose possibilities for genuine diplomatic engagement that serve the interests of the communities affected.

Furthermore, Steel’s nomination poses a particular risk to the most vulnerable Korean and Asian Americans – including undocumented immigrants and intercountry adoptees whose immigration status is insecure. While the ambassador does not unilaterally determine immigration enforcement in the U.S., nor directly alter the legal status of undocumented individuals, the ambassador can have real impact in in advocacy, coordination, and the willingness to elevate humanitarian concerns within diplomatic channels. Steel failed Korean American immigrant communities while in elected office and will likely be even less sympathetic when in an appointed, not elected, position.

Please note: This form is meant for U.S. constituents only. If you are based in South Korea or elsewhere, please see the Evergreen Coalition’s form.

Endorsing Organizations:
Action One Korea
Baltimore Nonviolence Center
Coming Home Collaborative
Church Women United in New York State
Jesus Action
Just Foreign Policy
KANCC
Korean American Network for Democracy
Korean Americans for Democracy
Korea Peace Committee Philadelphia
Korea Peace Now Hawaii
Korea Policy Institute
Korea Reform Alliance
National Association of Korean Americans
Nodutdol for Korean Community Development
Peace21
Peace Action New York State
Veterans for Peace – Spokane Chapter #35