More than 300 South Koreans who were detained in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US state of Georgia last week are due to arrive home on Friday. Their return comes as the country's president and Hyundai's chief executive have warned about the impact of the raid.
A chartered Korean Air jet carrying the workers and 14 non-Koreans who were also detained in the raid took off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at midday local time on Thursday (17:00 BST). One South Korean national has reportedly chosen to stay in the US to seek permanent residency.
The plane is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport at around 15:30 Seoul time (07:30 BST).
The departure was delayed by more than a day due to an instruction from the White House, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday. President Donald Trump ordered the pause to check whether the workers were willing to remain in the US to continue working and training Americans, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official.
Lee also stated that companies would be very hesitant about investing in the US following the raid, describing the situation as extremely bewildering. He emphasized that if sending workers to help establish overseas factories is no longer allowed, it would complicate manufacturing setups in the US, prompting companies to reconsider their investments.
Seoul is negotiating with Washington on visa options for South Korean workers, aiming to secure higher quotas or create new visa categories. The South Korean foreign ministry has called on the US Congress to support a new visa category for Korean firms.
During meetings with US senators in Washington this week, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reiterated South Korean concerns over the arrests.
Hyundai's chief executive, José Muñoz, stated that the raid would delay the factory's opening, with expected delays of at least two to three months.
Last week, US officials detained 475 individuals - over 300 South Korean nationals - insisting they were working illegally at the facility, which represents one of the largest foreign investment projects in Georgia. LG Energy Solution, managing the plant with Hyundai, noted that many detained workers held various types of visas or were under a visa waiver program.
Media outlets in South Korea have labeled the raid as a shocking development, warning of its potential chilling effect on business activities in the US. The timing of the raid amid precarious trade negotiations has raised alarms in Seoul, and while the White House defended the operation, it emphasized the importance of respecting immigration laws for foreign firms operating in the US.
A chartered Korean Air jet carrying the workers and 14 non-Koreans who were also detained in the raid took off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at midday local time on Thursday (17:00 BST). One South Korean national has reportedly chosen to stay in the US to seek permanent residency.
The plane is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport at around 15:30 Seoul time (07:30 BST).
The departure was delayed by more than a day due to an instruction from the White House, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday. President Donald Trump ordered the pause to check whether the workers were willing to remain in the US to continue working and training Americans, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official.
Lee also stated that companies would be very hesitant about investing in the US following the raid, describing the situation as extremely bewildering. He emphasized that if sending workers to help establish overseas factories is no longer allowed, it would complicate manufacturing setups in the US, prompting companies to reconsider their investments.
Seoul is negotiating with Washington on visa options for South Korean workers, aiming to secure higher quotas or create new visa categories. The South Korean foreign ministry has called on the US Congress to support a new visa category for Korean firms.
During meetings with US senators in Washington this week, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reiterated South Korean concerns over the arrests.
Hyundai's chief executive, José Muñoz, stated that the raid would delay the factory's opening, with expected delays of at least two to three months.
Last week, US officials detained 475 individuals - over 300 South Korean nationals - insisting they were working illegally at the facility, which represents one of the largest foreign investment projects in Georgia. LG Energy Solution, managing the plant with Hyundai, noted that many detained workers held various types of visas or were under a visa waiver program.
Media outlets in South Korea have labeled the raid as a shocking development, warning of its potential chilling effect on business activities in the US. The timing of the raid amid precarious trade negotiations has raised alarms in Seoul, and while the White House defended the operation, it emphasized the importance of respecting immigration laws for foreign firms operating in the US.
