Michelle Steel, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to South Korea, speaks during her confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, in this photo captured from a livestream from the committee's website. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The nominee for the top U.S. envoy to South Korea on Wednesday highlighted her commitment to enhancing America's national security and economic prosperity by strengthening the Seoul-Washington alliance.

During her confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Michelle Steel, a former Korean American congresswoman, made the remarks amid expectations for her role in addressing a range of pending tasks with Seoul, including "modernizing" the bilateral alliance and strengthening trade cooperation.

"During my two terms in Congress, I worked to strengthen our national security, preserve economic prosperity, protect American workers and businesses, and advance human rights, including on the Ways and Means Committee," she said.

"If confirmed, I would continue that commitment by strengthening our alliance with the Republic of Korea," she added, referring to South Korea by its official name.

She pointed out that for more than seven decades, the bilateral alliance has served as the "linchpin" of peace, security and prosperity in Northeast Asia, while noting that the allies' defense posture remains "ironclad."

"Our combined defense posture anchored by the 28,500 members of U.S. Forces Korea and reinforced by America's extended nuclear deterrent remains ironclad," she said. "It is the bedrock of our alliance."

Commenting on a joint fact sheet that Seoul and Washington released in November to outline bilateral security and trade agreements, Steel said that it entails the "once-in-a-generation" upgrade to security cooperation between the two countries.

"Seoul has pledged to expand its defense spending and to bolster our shared deterrence posture," she said.

"Our governments cooperate closely to respond to the DPRK's unlawful weapons programs. It's expanding cybercrime operations and it is deepening military cooperation with Russia."

Source: Korea Times News