U.S. Deputy Secretary of State: "Korean Investment Is Key to America's Future Vision... Active Support for Visa Issues"

AmCham Hosts U.S. Visa Seminar on the 29th
Comprehensive Discussion on Visa Types, Procedures, and Risk Management
Increased Attention Due to the Georgia Incident
Practical Strategies and Policy Directions for Businesses
"Korea Partner Act Expected to Strengthen Korea-U.S. Economic Cooperation"

Christopher Rando, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, emphasized on the afternoon of September 29 that he would make every effort to swiftly resolve visa issues and support Korean companies in conducting active business operations in the United States. He made these remarks in a video address at the "AmCham Insights: U.S. Visa Seminar" hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AmCham) at The Forum, IFC Yeouido, Seoul.

Christopher Rando, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Photo by Yonhap News

Deputy Secretary Rando highlighted, "Investments by Korean companies play a crucial role in President Donald Trump's vision for the future of the United States." He added, "The United States is deeply grateful for the scale and impact of these investments, and we fully recognize that such investments can only succeed if Korean business leaders are able to come to the U.S. to share their expertise and help develop the local workforce." He continued, "The U.S. government will actively support this so that both countries can achieve shared prosperity based on a close partnership."

The Korean government, during tariff negotiations with the U.S. government, coordinated for Korean companies to invest 350 billion dollars (approximately 490 trillion won) in the United States, and reached an agreement on this with the U.S. side. However, on September 4 (local time), U.S. immigration authorities conducted a crackdown and detained workers building battery plants for Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution in Georgia. This incident has brought U.S. visa issues to the forefront as a major obstacle to Korean investment in the United States. As a result, there has been growing criticism that long-standing ambiguities in U.S. visa policies must now be addressed, prompting both governments to begin related discussions. Nevertheless, concerns and confusion remain widespread among Korean companies, and Deputy Secretary Rando's strong commitment to improvement appears aimed at dispelling these worries.

At the seminar, AmCham invited domestic and international business representatives, legal professionals, and policy experts to review the overall U.S. visa system and discuss various practical challenges and response strategies that Korean companies face when entering the U.S. market. In particular, the seminar covered visa strategies for smooth market entry, including suitable visa types by purpose, application procedures and precautions, and common mistakes and solutions encountered by companies.

James Kim, Chairman and CEO of AmCham, pointed out, "The Georgia incident once again demonstrates that companies must thoroughly understand and comply with the U.S. visa system." He added, "If new systems such as the K-Visa are introduced, Korean talent will be able to work more freely, which will further strengthen the Korea-U.S. economic partnership." He continued, "AmCham will continue to provide reliable information and practical strategies so that member companies can confidently continue their business activities despite changes in the regulatory environment."

As the keynote speaker, Jung Manseok, a U.S. attorney at Daeyang Immigration Law Firm, delivered a presentation on "Visa Strategies Under the New U.S. Administration," offering detailed insights into recent changes in U.S. visa policies, tailored strategies for different companies, and major cases of visa denials. He emphasized the necessity of establishing a new E-4 professional employment visa (K-Visa) exclusively for Koreans, as included in the "Korea Partner Act."

This bill would allocate 15,000 visas annually to Korean professionals. Attorney Jung noted that while major partner countries such as Japan (E-1/E-2) and Singapore (H-1B1) already have dedicated visas, Korea, despite being a major investor in the U.S., still lacks such a system. He projected that the introduction of the K-Visa would significantly strengthen Korean investment in the U.S. and economic cooperation between the two countries.

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