▲ National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik (R) poses for a photo with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel during their meeting at the parliamentary building in Seoul on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik met with new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on Friday and discussed ways to boost parliamentary diplomacy between the two countries.

Cho also said he expects Steel to contribute to the development of South Korea-U.S. ties, citing her extensive experience and expertise in U.S. politics, and her interest in and affection for South Korea.

"I deeply sympathize with President (Donald) Trump's determination and commitment to opening the door to dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, where relations remain strained, and building a stable peace regime on the peninsula," Cho told Steel in their meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul.

He also voiced regret that the South Korea-U.S. Parliamentarians Union, a parliamentary group established last year to promote parliamentary exchanges between Seoul and Washington, currently lacks a counterpart in the U.S. Congress.

In response, Steel stressed that there have been active discussions on ways to further develop the alliance, with South Korean lawmakers visiting the U.S. nearly every year and vice versa.

She vowed active support to help facilitate such exchanges, underscoring the important role legislatures play in shaping foreign policy and international relations.

Steel became the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to Seoul, filling the post that had remained vacant for 18 months following the departure of her predecessor, Philip Goldberg, who served from July 2022 to January 2025.

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