Regret Over Georgia Incident... U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Says "Visa System Undergoing Overhaul"

by Cha Minyoung

Published 06 May.2026 08:08(KST)

Remarks Made at U.S. Investment Promotion Event

Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, expressed regret on the 5th (local time) regarding last year's "Georgia Incident." He also stated that the United States is carrying out a major overhaul of its visa system to address concerns raised by Korean authorities and businesses.

Christopher Lendau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, holding a press conference in Morocco on the 29th of last month (local time). Photo by AP.

According to local media outlets such as Middle East Eye, Deputy Secretary Landau said at a press conference held at the SelectUSA investment promotion event in National Harbor, Maryland, "Some of the agreements concluded with the Korean government represent significant opportunities for Korean capital and expertise to be utilized in the United States for the benefit of both countries."

He continued, "To achieve this, a certain number of personnel must come from Korea to the United States for workforce training or other purposes," adding, "We recognize that the current visa system is not designed to welcome or accommodate visitors with such special purposes."

He also brought up the incident last September in Georgia, where more than 300 Korean workers were detained due to residency status issues, noting that he visited Korea afterward to discuss the matter directly with authorities. "We are carrying out a major overhaul of the visa system to address such concerns," he explained. He stressed, "We must ensure that the immigration and visa laws, which we enforce very strictly, do not become unnecessary obstacles to investment."

Last year, Korea pledged to invest 350 billion dollars in the United States during tariff negotiations and is currently engaged in follow-up discussions. Among Korea's first investment projects in the U.S., the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Louisiana has been mentioned.

However, the group detention of Korean workers in Georgia last September caused a rift in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Since then, the Korea-U.S. Visa Working Group has been operating, and as one of its achievements, a dedicated visa desk for Korean companies investing in the United States was established at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in December of last year and has been operating since then.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary Landau commented on trade relations with Europe, stating, "It is important to ensure that trade is conducted fairly," and added, "Ultimately, the United States and Europe need to reach a new agreement." He emphasized, "The United States has been carrying an excessive burden for too long," and said, "It is time to establish a new balance." Additionally, Deputy Secretary Landau revealed that a trade agreement between the United States and India is very close to being finalized.