Michelle Eunjoo Steel, who has been appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea after overwhelming confirmation by the U.S. Senate. [Photo=Yonhap News]

Michelle Eunjoo Steel, who has been appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea after overwhelming confirmation by the U.S. Senate, is the daughter of displaced persons and a former politician known for her strong anti-communist and anti-China stance.

Furthermore, having narrowly lost a bid for a third term in the California House of Representatives election a year and a half ago due to mail-in ballots (equivalent to absentee voting in South Korea), she is also an expert who understands election fraud better than anyone else.

The Republic of Korea is currently being invaded by China's hybrid warfare. It is not a new phenomenon for the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in elections, which is a major strength of democracy. This past June 3rd local election was the largest instance of election fraud. In response, tens of thousands of citizens have been gathering daily at Olympic Park, chanting slogans of "election fraud" for 24 hours.

Ambassador Michelle Steel is the optimal U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, undertaking the crucial responsibilities of strengthening the ROK-U.S. alliance and protecting American companies facing disadvantages, such as Coupang.

The fact that President Donald Trump left the ambassadorship to South Korea, a blood ally, vacant for a year and a half reflects President Trump's grand vision of reorganizing the international order, as well as his distrust of the pro-China administration of Lee Jae-myung.

However, with the conclusion of the Iran conflict and the achievement of historic peace in the Middle East, Ambassador Michelle Steel's appointment symbolically indicates that President Trump's focus is now shifting to China and both South and North Korea.

We are well aware that in the reorganization of the international order, President Trump has thoroughly separated responses to the regimes and the people of each country. In the Republic of Korea, over 90% of the citizens are friendly towards the United States, and a significant portion of the population respects President Trump.

Ambassador Michelle Steel understands better than anyone what Koreans want and what the United States is pursuing.

We implore Ambassador Michelle Steel for two things.

First, we request a meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol.

We are well aware of the purpose of martial law, and we conclude that its transformation into sedition is a coup. Therefore, President Yoon's detention is illegal. Furthermore, the human rights oppression against President Yoon Suk-yeol is beyond imagination, so we implore you to personally assess the situation at the detention center.

Second, the election fraud in the recent June 3rd local elections was of the largest scale. We implore you to personally listen to the desperate cries of tens of thousands of people chanting "election fraud" 24 hours a day at Olympic Park, and to meet with the citizens holding the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes.

We are well aware that what President Trump emphasizes most is "election integrity." We are also aware that investigations into the past presidential election fraud and institutional reforms are underway in the United States.

We believe that the proverb Ambassador Michelle Steel uniquely mentioned in Korean during the U.S. Senate hearing, "Hardship ends in joy," is a message of great hope to the people of the Republic of Korea today.

Once again, we warmly welcome the appointment of Ambassador Michelle Steel.

June 21, 2026

The United Federation of Free High Schools