Seoul Confirms Completion of Talks on Nationals Detained in U.S. Raid

(MENAFN) South Korean authorities confirmed on Sunday that negotiations for the release of South Korean workers detained in a recent US immigration raid in Georgia have been successfully completed. A chartered flight will soon depart to bring them back, pending the completion of final administrative procedures, according to media.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon Sik made the announcement during a high-level meeting between the government and the ruling Democratic Party. He emphasized that the plane, once all procedures are finalized, would head to the United States to bring the detained workers back home.

"There are still administrative procedures left," Kang stated. "Once the procedures are complete the chartered plane will depart to bring our citizens."

The raid, which was part of a broader US investigation into alleged illegal employment practices, resulted in the arrest of 475 individuals. More than 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals.

The announcement follows efforts by South Korean Consular officials, who began engaging with the detained workers on Saturday. Diplomats from the Consulate General in Atlanta met with detainees at an immigration center in Folkston, Georgia, after the raid occurred on Thursday at a Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution Ltd. facility in Bryan County.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed concern over the situation, stating on Saturday that he might travel to the US in light of the crackdown. He also conveyed a strong sense of responsibility regarding the arrests.

"We will discuss sending a senior Foreign Ministry official to the site without delay, and, if necessary, I will personally travel to Washington to hold consultations with the US administration," Cho said.

The Georgia facility, currently under construction, is expected to become a critical part of Hyundai’s electric vehicle production. State officials had previously hailed it as the “largest economic development project in Georgia history” upon its announcement in 2023. While scheduled to be operational next year, the plant's timeline is now uncertain following the immigration raid.

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