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

Michelle Eunjoo Steel, who is to be appointed as the 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 staunch anti-communist and anti-China stance.

Furthermore, having narrowly lost her bid for a third term in a California state assembly election a year and a half ago due to mail-in ballots (similar to overseas absentee voting in Korea), she is also an expert who understands election fraud better than anyone.

The Republic of Korea is currently being invaded by China's hybrid warfare. It is not a new development for the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in elections, the greatest strength of democracy, and the recent June 3rd local elections were the largest instance of election fraud.

In response, tens of thousands of citizens have been gathering daily at Olympic Park, shouting slogans of "election fraud" for 24 hours.

Ambassador Michelle Steel is the optimal choice for the South Korean ambassadorship, arriving with the weighty 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 Korea, a blood ally, vacant for as long as a year and a half reflects both President Trump's grand vision of reorganizing the international order and his distrust of the pro-China Lee Jae-myung administration.

However, the appointment of Ambassador Michelle Steel at a time when the Iran conflict has concluded and historic Middle Eastern peace is being achieved symbolically indicates that President Trump's focus is now shifting to China and the Koreas.

We are well aware of how President Trump has dealt separately and thoroughly with the government and the people of a nation in his reorganization of the international order. In the Republic of Korea, over 90% of the citizens are friendly towards the United States, and a significant number of them respect President Trump.

Ambassador Michelle Steel, better than anyone, understands what Koreans want now 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 rebellion is a coup. Therefore, President Yoon's detention is illegal. Furthermore, the human rights abuses against President Yoon Suk-yeol are 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 shouting "election fraud" for 24 hours at Olympic Park, and to meet with the citizens holding both the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes.

We are well aware that what President Trump emphasizes most is the 'integrity of elections.' We are also well aware that investigations into the election fraud of the last presidential election are underway in the United States, along with institutional reforms.

We believe that the proverb "Hardship endured brings joy" (고생 끝에 낙이 온다), which Ambassador Michelle Steel uniquely mentioned in Korean during the U.S. Senate hearings, is a message of great hope for the citizens of the Republic of Korea today.

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

June 21, 2026

The Federation of Free High Schools