SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday.
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, said that South Korea and the U.S. had finalized negotiations on the workers’ release. He mentioned that South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as remaining administrative steps are completed.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is set to leave for the U.S. on Monday for talks related to the workers’ releases.
U.S. immigration authorities reported that 475 people were detained during the raid, most being South Korean nationals, at Hyundai’s manufacturing site in Georgia. This operation marked a significant crackdown on illegal immigration, targeting a site where the automaker produces electric vehicle batteries in partnership with LG Energy Solution.
The enormous size of this raid shocked many in South Korea, given the country’s strong alliance with the U.S. Reports suggest that some detainees had entered the U.S. illegally, while others had expired visas.
In response to the situation, the South Korean government is looking to review and modify its visa systems for business travelers to the U.S. to prevent such occurrences in the future.