Washington: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun called for steps to prevent a repeat of incidents like the mass detention of South Korean workers in Georgia and voiced hope the U.S. Congress will support visa reforms for Korean businesses, the foreign ministry said Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made the call during his meetings with U.S. Sens. Todd Young, Bill Hagerty, and Andy Kim in Washington between Wednesday and Thursday, following last week's major U.S. immigration crackdown on a South Korean joint venture site in the southeastern U.S. state.
More than 300 South Korean workers were detained for a week over potential violations of U.S. visa rules. They were released and boarded a South Korean chartered flight home Thursday after diplomatic negotiations resolved the issues. The raid shocked South Korea at a time when Korean companies are ramping up their U.S. investments amid the Trump administration's push to revive American industries.
In the meetings with the senators, Cho explained the serious concerns among the South Korean public over the detention of its professionals by U.S. authorities. He said that the issue was resolved swiftly due to Trump's instruction and the cooperation of relevant U.S. government agencies.
Cho emphasized the importance of fundamental measures to ensure that South Korean nationals do not face unfair treatment. This assurance is crucial for Korean companies to continue with their investment plans in the U.S., the ministry stated in a release.
Cho also called for congressional support for visa reform, particularly the creation of a new visa category for South Korean businesspeople, as both sides agreed to form a working group to better address the longstanding visa issues.
The senators welcomed the initiatives for visa reform and committed to providing legislative and other support. Hagerty pointed out that skilled personnel visiting the U.S. are essential for handling specialized equipment and do not take away local jobs but instead aid in the construction of factories, contributing to job creation.