South Korea is pressing the United States to overhaul its visa system after more than 300 South Korean workers were detained during an immigration raid at a Hyundai battery factory site in Georgia last week.
The detentions, which included workers being chained and escorted away, have sparked anger in Seoul and raised questions about the future of Korean investment in the US.
At a news conference Thursday marking 100 days in office, President Lee Jae Myung said Korean companies will hesitate to expand in the US unless Washington provides a reliable visa system for skilled workers, AP News reported.
"When you build a facility or install equipment at a plant, you need technicians, but the United States doesn't have that workforce and yet they won't issue visas to let our people stay and do the work," Lee said.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry confirmed that 330 workers were released by US authorities and transported to Atlanta, where they boarded a charter flight set to arrive in Seoul on Friday.
Officials stressed the workers would not face physical restraints during the return.
In response to the ICE raid at the Hyundai plant in Georgia that resulted in detaining around 300 South Koreans, one lawmaker in Seoul suggests looking into U.S. nationals teaching English on a tourist visa in S. Koreahttps://t.co/A6IUQieyub
— Hyunsu Yim (@hyunsuinseoul) September 8, 2025
South Korea Slams US Raid Amid $350B Investment Deal
According to CNN, the raid, carried out September 4 by US immigration agents at Hyundai's plant in Ellabell, Georgia, came just weeks after Seoul pledged $350 billion in new US investments under a trade agreement with Washington.
The timing has fueled public frustration, with one major newspaper comparing the raid to a "rabbit hunt."
US officials said some detained workers had expired visas or entered under visa waivers that did not allow employment.
For years, South Korean companies have used short-term visas or electronic travel authorization to send technicians for temporary projects, a practice that had been tolerated until now.
Lee stressed that these workers were not seeking permanent jobs. "It's not like these are long-term workers," he said.
"If a visa system isn't created, companies will question whether it is worth setting up facilities in the United States at all."
Following talks in Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed to form a working group to explore a new visa category for Korean technicians.
The US also agreed to let the detained workers return later to finish their projects.
Experts warn the issue could disrupt more than 20 Korean-led industrial projects underway in the US, including semiconductor and shipbuilding facilities.
"Without updated visa policies, delays in factory construction and production are inevitable, and the harm will bounce back to the US economy," said Min Jeonghun, a professor at South Korea's National Diplomatic Academy.
Join the Conversation