President Lee Jae-myung stated on August 12 that he believes various issues between South Korea and the United States can be resolved through rational and proactive dialogue and cooperation.
On that morning, President Lee received the credentials of Michelle Steel, the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, along with three other newly appointed ambassadors, during a ceremony held at the Blue House.
According to a written briefing by Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong, President Lee urged Ambassador Steel to serve as a strong bridge to further solidify the Korea-U.S. alliance, based on a deep understanding of Korean culture and society. He emphasized that the relationship between the two countries would be further advanced through dialogue and cooperation on mutual issues.
After receiving her credentials, President Lee welcomed Ambassador Steel, saying, “Welcome,” and posed for a commemorative photo with her and her husband, attorney Sean Steel. The position of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea had been vacant since Philip Goldberg, who was appointed by the Biden administration, left in January of last year, and the embassy had been operating under a temporary charge d'affaires.
The credential ceremony is an event where a newly appointed ambassador presents their credentials from their home country's head of state to the head of state of the host country.
Ambassador Steel expressed her happiness about her appointment to South Korea and stated her commitment to engaging broadly with the South Korean government and people to enhance mutual understanding and friendly cooperation between the two nations.
Alongside Ambassador Steel, the newly credentialed ambassadors included Banda Maria Dias Stelzer, Ambassador of Portugal; Jamal Al Suwaidi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates; and Sean Hoy, Ambassador of Ireland. This was the fifth credential ceremony since the current government took office.
President Lee congratulated each ambassador on their appointment and requested that they serve as a bridge to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between their countries based on close communication and trust amid rapidly changing international circumstances.
Ambassador Stelzer noted that while exchanges between the peoples and businesses of South Korea and Portugal have been activated in celebration of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, there remains room for further development in high-level exchanges.
Ambassador Al Suwaidi remarked that President Lee's state visit to the UAE last November marked a turning point in the bilateral relationship. He added that he would work to prepare for the successful return visit of UAE President Mohammed and to develop the special strategic partnership between the two countries in a forward-looking manner.
Ambassador Hoy stated that he aims to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields based on the high potential for collaboration between South Korea and Ireland. He also expressed his intention to communicate closely with South Korea, especially as Ireland is a guest country at the G20 and will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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