ATLANTA (AP) — A group of buses transporting over 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid was headed to Atlanta Thursday, where a charter plane was scheduled to take them home after their release. The workers were part of a larger group of approximately 475 detained during an immigration operation last week at an under-construction battery factory located on the campus of Hyundai's automotive plant near Savannah.
According to South Korea's foreign ministry, a Korean Air Boeing 747-8i, which arrived in Atlanta the previous day, would depart at noon on Thursday carrying the released workers, who are expected to arrive in South Korea on Friday afternoon. The group also includes several international nationals: 10 from China, three from Japan, and one from Indonesia.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the need for improvements to the U.S. visa system, cautioning that without these enhancements, Korean companies might reconsider future investments in the U.S.
As negotiations continue between South Korean officials and their U.S. counterparts, there are efforts to ensure that the working circumstances of the returned individuals do not hinder their possibility of returning to the U.S. in the future. South Korea has highlighted the impact this incident had on its citizens, with video footage of the arrests sparking significant distress.
During discussions in Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun urged the U.S. to facilitate a smooth departure process for the workers, aiming to avoid situations that could complicate their reentry to the U.S. ahead.
