South Korea Secures Deal for 300 Detained Hyundai Workers’ Return; Foreign Minister Departs for US
South Korea Secures Deal for 300 Detained Hyundai Workers’ Return; Foreign Minister Departs for US
Seoul, South Korea has announced a finalized agreement with the United States for the immediate release and repatriation of over 300 South Korean workers detained following a recent immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is scheduled to depart for the U.S. today, Monday, to oversee the final administrative steps for the workers’ return home.
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, confirmed the successful conclusion of negotiations on Sunday. He stated that South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as all remaining administrative procedures are completed.
The diplomatic breakthrough follows a massive U.S. immigration raid last Thursday at Hyundai’s sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia, where the automaker produces electric vehicles. Federal authorities initially detained 475 individuals, most of whom were South Korean nationals, at a plant under construction for EV battery production, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution.
The operation, which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documented in video released Saturday, stunned many in South Korea. President Lee Jae Myung had previously asserted that the rights of South Korean nationals and the economic activities of Korean companies must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement procedures. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry had also issued a statement expressing “concern and regret” over the incident.
While no detainees have been charged with crimes yet, officials indicated that some workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered legally but with expired visas or on visa waivers prohibiting employment. Most of the detained are being held at an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia. South Korea also plans to review and improve visa systems for those traveling to the U.S. on business trips for investment projects.
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