New U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Park Steel stepped up her public diplomacy on Saturday, just two days after arriving in Seoul to begin her tenure as U.S. ambassador. In a video uploaded to the U.S. Embassy's Facebook account, Steel appeared energetic and fully settled into her new role. During a visit to Namdaemun Market, she actively interacted with vendors and sought to reconnect with her country of birth. Dressed casually in a white T-shirt and blue jeans, U.S. President Donald Trump's political appointee mingled comfortably with local shoppers and merchants. Her approachable demeanor and willingness to engage directly with ordinary Koreans suggest that Steel may be well suited to represent the U.S. at a time when Seoul and Washington face tensions over trade disputes, accusations of Korea's alleged discrimination against U.S. companies such as Coupang and other unresolved issues. Misunderstandings have often contributed to disagreements between the two allies over matters ranging from the transfer of wartime operational control to tariffs. In that context, appointing an ambass