Folkston: The last South Korean man released from detention following a U.S. immigration crackdown in Georgia has expressed gratitude for the consular and legal assistance he received, stating he will faithfully undergo the trial he requested regarding his detention.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the man, surnamed Lee and in his 30s, was among more than 300 South Koreans detained at a facility in Folkston in early September. This followed a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation at a South Korean electric car battery plant in Bryan County, Georgia, on September 4.

While other detainees were released through negotiations between Seoul and Washington and returned home on a chartered flight a week after their detention, Lee, who has family in the U.S., opted to remain in custody to pursue legal action. He was released from the Folkston detention facility Friday, a day after an immigration court granted him bail.

"I have received assistance from many people until I was released. I extend my special thanks to the (South Korean) consulate and lawyers," Lee conveyed in a message to Yonhap News Agency on Sunday (local time), marking his first public statement since his release. He added that he cannot discuss details as the immigration trial is still pending but affirmed his commitment to undergo the proceedings.

Upon his release, Lee was welcomed by his family and company officials at the detention facility. He was taken to a Korean restaurant, where he partook in the Korean custom of eating a block of white tofu upon release from jail and was moved to tears.

A company official remarked on the difficulty of Lee's decision to remain while others left, acknowledging his resilience during the detention. Lee is set to undergo trial proceedings on bail.

The company official further noted that Lee was in the process of applying for a green card in the U.S. through family immigration at the time of his detention and was working legally with a work permit from immigration authorities.