Trump's Suggestion for Korean Skilled Workers to Stay Delays Repatriation by a Day... Charter Flight Arrives Tomorrow

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun: "Received Assurances of No Disadvantages Upon U.S. Re-entry"
No Apology or Expression of Regret from U.S. Over Sudden Detention Incident

A charter flight carrying a total of 330 people, including Korean workers who had been detained by U.S. immigration authorities, will depart from Atlanta International Airport at 12:00 PM local time on the 11th. They are being released seven days after their sudden detention on the 4th. The flight is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport in the afternoon of the 12th Korean time. The government announced that it had received assurances from the U.S. side that these individuals would not face any disadvantages if they re-enter the United States in the future.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, who is in the United States to secure the prompt release and repatriation of over 300 Koreans arrested and detained by U.S. immigration authorities, is leaving his accommodation in Washington DC on the 10th (local time) to meet with his counterpart, U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio. 2025.9.10 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap Reporter

On the 11th, while visiting Washington D.C., Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met with reporters at the Korean Embassy and said, "Our citizens who are currently detained will be able to return home on a flight tomorrow (local time, the 11th). We have also received assurances from the U.S. side that there will be no problems for these individuals to return to the United States for work in the future." Earlier, Minister Cho met with U.S. Secretary of State and White House National Security Advisor Mark Rubio at the White House for about 20 minutes to discuss the issue, and then separately met with Andy Baker, White House Deputy National Security Advisor, to review the detailed implementation measures.

Considering the approximately four and a half hour drive from the Folkston detention facility to Atlanta Airport, where the charter flight is waiting, it appears the detainees will be released in the early morning of the day of departure. Minister Cho repeatedly confirmed that there would be no acts such as handcuffing the workers during the release process.

Initially, the release and repatriation of the detainees was expected to take place on the 10th, but it was postponed by a day due to "circumstances on the U.S. side." As the charter flight had already arrived at Atlanta Airport and was waiting to board the released workers, the lack of a specific explanation from the U.S. side led to various speculations. Regarding this, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official explained during a briefing at the Korean Embassy that "President Donald Trump reportedly instructed to halt the repatriation process temporarily to learn Korea's position on whether the detained Korean nationals-all skilled workers-should continue working in the United States to train and educate American personnel, or return to Korea." The official added, "Minister Cho explained that our citizens were extremely shocked and exhausted, so it would be better for them to return home first and then come back to work in the United States. The U.S. side respected our position and agreed to allow the detained Koreans to return home."

An exclusive Korean Air B747-8i charter flight carrying Koreans detained at the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution battery joint factory construction site in Georgia, USA, is preparing for takeoff at Terminal 2 apron of Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 10th. About 300 Koreans who were arrested and detained are expected to depart locally around 2:30 p.m. local time on the 10th (3:30 a.m. Korean time on the 11th). Photo by the Airport Photographers Group

The total number of people returning on this Korean Air charter flight is 330, of which 316 are Korean nationals. The remaining 14 are foreign nationals: 10 Chinese, 3 Japanese, and 1 Indonesian. Of the 317 Koreans who were detained, it is reported that one chose not to depart and wished to remain locally. The flight cost of approximately 1 billion won will be covered by LG Energy Solution.

With the detainees being released and returning home after seven days, the situation appears to be coming to a close, but controversy remains over the background of the sudden arrests of the workers. There is also the fundamental issue of needing to improve the visa system to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, after the Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting that day, the U.S. State Department released a statement through Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, which did not contain any apology or even mention of the detention incident. Deputy Spokesperson Pigott only said, "Secretary Rubio welcomed Korea's investment in the United States and expressed interest in deepening cooperation in this field." He added, "We agreed to expand equitable defense burden sharing and to revitalize U.S. manufacturing through Korean investment in shipbuilding and other strategic industries." When asked whether there had been any separate apology or expression of regret from the U.S. side during discussions about the detention incident, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official replied, "There was none," adding, "The United States maintains that it was a legitimate law enforcement action."

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