LG Energy Solution Vows "Full Effort to Normalize U.S. Plants" Following Korea-U.S. Visa Activity Agreement (Comprehensive)

B-1 and ESTA Clarified at First Korea-U.S. Working Group Meeting
"Grateful for Support"... Mitigating Workforce Risks in Georgia
U.S. State Department: "The Critical Role of Skilled Personnel"

LG Energy Solution has released an official statement regarding the outcome of the first meeting of the "Business Visit and Visa Working Group" agreed upon by South Korea and the United States. The company expressed its gratitude for the government's prompt support and stated, "We will thoroughly prepare and make every effort to normalize the construction and operation of our plants in the United States."

On October 1, LG Energy Solution issued this statement following the Korea-U.S. Business Visit and Visa Working Group meeting held in Washington, D.C. on September 30 (local time). This meeting was organized in response to the recent incident in Georgia, where Korean workers were detained at a joint battery factory due to visa issues, with the aim of clarifying business visit procedures for corporate personnel and resolving related difficulties.

Korean workers who were arrested and detained by U.S. immigration authorities were returning to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 12th of last month. The released Koreans set foot on their homeland eight days after being arrested and detained at the construction site of the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution battery joint factory in Ellabell, Georgia, U.S., on the 4th of last month. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

During the meeting, the delegations from both countries clarified that the scope of the B-1 short-term business visa would explicitly include equipment installation, inspection, and maintenance activities, and that the same activities would be permitted for users of the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). The Korean delegation was led by Jeong Kihong, the government representative for Overseas Korean Protection and Consular Affairs, while the U.S. delegation was headed by Kevin Kim, a senior official from the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Additionally, both sides agreed to establish a so-called "Korean Investor Desk" within the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to provide dedicated consultation on corporate visa matters. Going forward, this working group will build a cooperative system between the U.S. Embassy in Korea and enforcement agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and will continue discussions on additional measures to address difficulties.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained this agreement by stating, "Korea and the United States share the understanding that institutional measures are needed to support smooth personnel exchanges, which are essential for the stable investment of our companies contributing to the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing."

In particular, it was revealed that, among the 317 Koreans detained in the Georgia incident last month, 170 held ESTA authorizations and 146 held B-1 or B-2 visas. This agreement is significant as it aims to prevent the recurrence of such cases. Both countries plan to soon release a "fact sheet" outlining the details of the agreement.

US immigration enforcement authorities released videos and photos on their website showing the illegal stay and employment crackdown at the joint battery factory construction site of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Georgia on the 4th of last month (local time). Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The dedicated desk is scheduled to begin operations at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul within this month, and detailed information will be provided by U.S. authorities through their website and other channels. In addition, in response to the Korean side's proposal, both countries agreed to establish direct lines of communication between Korean missions in the U.S. and local branches of ICE and CBP to ensure close cooperation. However, the U.S. side maintained a general position regarding fundamental institutional reforms, stating that "considering legislative constraints, it is not an easy task."

In a press release, the U.S. Department of State announced that Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau, in his opening remarks at the meeting, stated, "Korea is one of the United States' major investor countries," and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to welcoming and encouraging investment from Korea. He also emphasized the critical role of skilled personnel in the success of such investments.

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