Lee Junseok Sends Protest Letter to U.S. Embassy in Seoul: "Undermining Trust in Economic and Investment Relations"

Expressing Regret Over Detention of Korean Workers in the U.S.
"Both Governments Must Immediately Establish a Communication Channel"

On September 8, Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, sent a letter of protest to the U.S. Embassy in South Korea regarding the detention of approximately 300 Korean workers in Georgia, United States.

Reform Party leader Lee Junseok is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 8th. Photo by Yonhap News.

In the letter addressed to Joseph Yun, Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Lee stated, "The Reform New Party expresses deep concern and regret over the detention of a large number of South Korean nationals during the immigration crackdown at the Hyundai-LG construction site in Georgia on September 4."

Lee emphasized, "It is especially regrettable that such an incident has occurred at a time when both countries are seeking to deepen the South Korea-U.S. alliance through economic and strategic cooperation." He called on U.S. authorities to guarantee humanitarian treatment for the detained Korean nationals, including access to water, sanitation, medical support, and consular assistance, and strongly urged their prompt release to ensure that they do not face any disadvantages in future travel or employment in the United States.

He continued, "We urge both governments to immediately establish a dedicated communication channel to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents," adding, "The Reform New Party is prepared to cooperate in any way to support such a mechanism."

Lee also stated, "This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of Korean investments in the United States," and pointed out, "The Korean business community is worried that this crackdown could undermine trust in current and future economic and investment projects, which would pose a significant risk to strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries."

He further requested, "We ask that an appropriate visa system be promptly reviewed to allow Korean workers to participate legally and efficiently in economic cooperation projects in the United States," adding, "The H.R.4687 bill introduced by U.S. Representative Young Kim could serve as a positive example."

Previously, on September 4, U.S. immigration authorities conducted a large-scale crackdown on illegal workers at the construction site of HL-GA Battery Company, a joint battery venture between Hyundai Motor Company and LG Energy Solution in Georgia. As a result, 475 people, including approximately 300 Korean workers, were arrested and detained.