Washington: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has underscored that the South Korean government is prioritizing efforts to safely bring home its citizens detained in Georgia and to ensure the uninterrupted operations of Korean businesses in the United States, as per a statement from the foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made these remarks during a meeting with South Korean business leaders in Washington. This meeting comes in the wake of more than 300 South Korean workers being detained at a facility following a U.S. immigration sweep at a South Korean electric car battery plant in Georgia. These developments have prompted diplomatic discussions between Seoul and Washington to resolve the issue.
Minister Cho emphasized the government's commitment to swiftly and safely repatriating the detained South Koreans. He assured that efforts would be made to ensure they do not face future entry disadvantages into the United States. A South Korean chartered plane has already departed for Atlanta to bring back the detained workers, including some foreign nationals.
Cho's visit to Washington included discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials, focusing on improving the work visa system for South Korean businesses. During the meeting, business leaders urged the government to intensify negotiations with Washington to establish a new work permit for South Korean professionals and to increase the work visa quota for Korean companies investing in the U.S.
Additionally, the business community requested clearer U.S. guidelines for using B-1 visas for short-term business trips, as many of the detained South Koreans were working on such visas. They stressed the need for consistent application of guidelines by U.S. agencies, such as the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, to reduce uncertainties and facilitate company operations.
In response, Minister Cho assured the business leaders that the government has communicated these challenges to U.S. counterparts and is committed to improving conditions for South Korean businesses. Seoul is actively pursuing the establishment of an E-4 work visa for South Korean skilled workers through the "Partner with Korea Act," first introduced in Congress in 2013.
Following the recent immigration crackdown, South Korea has been engaged in talks with Washington to address Korean companies' concerns about the current U.S. visa system, which they argue hampers their ability to execute construction projects and train locally hired workers. The meeting was attended by representatives from major South Korean companies, including LG, Hyundai Motor, POSCO, Samsung, and Hanwha.