U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel is leaning into her Korean American identity through a series of personal, ground-level appearances across Seoul before formally beginning her diplomatic duties, a different approach from that of her most recent predecessors. Since arriving in Seoul on Thursday, Steel has visited several landmarks near the U.S. Embassy over the weekend, engaging directly with the public before completing the formal steps required to assume her post. Her public engagement has come notably faster than that of her predecessors, former Ambassadors Harry Harris and Philip Goldberg, who refrained from active public appearances before presenting their credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Posting on her X account for the first time as ambassador on Friday, Steel shared a photo taken in front of the King Sejong statue in Gwanghwamun Square — just across the U.S. Embassy, which is visible in the background — featuring captions in both Korean and English, with the Korean text appearing first. “Walking past the King Sejong statue today reminded me of Ko