Detained Koreans in U.S. Set for Voluntary Departure... Some May Face Disadvantages on Re-entry

Korean workers who were detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution battery plant in Georgia are reportedly set to return home in the form of "voluntary departure." However, it has been reported that some workers may face disadvantages if they attempt to re-enter the United States in the future, depending on their individual immigration status.

On September 8, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, when asked by reporters whether the detained Korean workers could face disadvantages upon re-entering the U.S. even if they return home voluntarily, stated, "We are trying to proceed in a way that minimizes disadvantages as much as possible," but added, "Since we must respect U.S. legal procedures, it is not easy to change this depending on each individual's situation."

Yonhap News Agency

The government is currently working on a plan for the detained Koreans to return home in the form of voluntary departure. The remarks from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official suggest that even if the detained Korean workers return home voluntarily, there is still a possibility that they may face certain disadvantages when attempting to re-enter the United States in the future. When asked whether these disadvantages could be reduced through negotiations between authorities, the official explained, "Since visa types differ for each individual, it is difficult to negotiate a blanket solution."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently conducting consular interviews with the detained Koreans. Of the approximately 300 people detained, consular interviews have been conducted with about 250 who expressed a desire for such meetings. The official stated, "So far, we have not received any reports of health issues or human rights violations," and added, "We are continuously requesting that U.S. authorities ensure that our citizens are not placed in poor conditions or subjected to unfair treatment."

The government is also in the process of confirming the intention of the detained Korean workers to depart voluntarily. Once the related administrative procedures are completed, the government plans to bring the individuals back to Korea on a chartered flight. The cost of the chartered flight is expected to be covered by the companies involved. If there are individuals who refuse voluntary departure, it is reported that they will undergo individual legal procedures at local detention facilities.

Meanwhile, the government plans to discuss improvements to the U.S. visa system with the U.S. side through Korea-U.S. trade negotiations and summit meetings, in order to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, especially since Korea has pledged $500 billion (approximately 700 trillion won) in investment in the United States. To this end, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is also scheduled to visit the United States later in the day to hold further discussions with senior officials of the U.S. administration.

Another official stated, "Minister Cho will propose fundamental solutions to the visa issue to the U.S. side," adding, "After further consultations with government ministries and economic organizations to identify the difficulties faced by companies, we will comprehensively review the visa system to meet corporate demand and discuss it with the U.S. side."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.