Nat'l Assembly speaker discusses parliamentary cooperation with U.S. ambassador

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik met with newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on Friday to discuss enhancing parliamentary diplomacy between the two nations, according to Yonhap news agency. Cho expressed his deep sympathy for President Trump's efforts to open dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, where relations are still tense, and to establish a stable peace regime in the region.

He complimented Steel's extensive experience and passion for South Korea, which he believed would contribute positively to strengthening South Korea-U.S. ties.

Cho also mentioned the absence of a counterpart to the South Korea-U.S. Parliamentarians Union in the U.S. Congress, a parliamentary group established last year to facilitate exchanges between the two countries. In response to this, Steel emphasized ongoing discussions to further develop the alliance, noting that South Korean lawmakers visit the U.S. nearly every year, and vice versa.

She pledged active support in facilitating such exchanges, highlighting the crucial role parliaments play in shaping foreign policy and international relations.

Steel, who becomes the second Korean American to hold the position of U.S. ambassador to Seoul, fills a vacancy that had remained unfilled for 18 months after her predecessor, Philip Goldberg, left office from July 2022 to January 2025.