Seoul presses Washington after Georgia raid on South Korean workers
3 Min Read
South Korea's trade talks with the US were overshadowed by a Georgia immigration raid that detained hundreds of South Korean workers, sparking outrage in Seoul and raising concerns over future investment.
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Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo is heading to the departure hall of Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on the 15th for follow-up consultations on tariff negotiations with the US (Yonhap)
South Korea's trade envoy signaled unease on Monday over a US immigration operation that swept up hundreds of South Korean nationals, noting that American officials have privately admitted some regret.
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, speaking to reporters after arriving in Washington for negotiations, said, "The mood is that the US side apparently thinks (the detention) was a bit excessive." He was asked whether the raid might affect ongoing discussions.
The two governments are working to finalize a July framework agreement that lowered tariffs on South Korean exports to between 15 and 25 percent. "(We) are in the middle of intensively negotiating over the details," Yeo said, adding that he would meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and would "do my best to reflect national interests across the board." Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan had already met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington the previous week, according to Yonhap.
Georgia Raid Fallout
The controversy stems from a September 4 raid by US immigration authorities on a Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in Georgia. Federal agents detained around 475 workers, over 300 of them South Koreans, during what officials described as an investigation into visa irregularities. Images of the detainees in chains and handcuffs quickly circulated in South Korea, sparking outrage and prompting President Lee Jae Myung to call the action "bewildering." He warned that such treatment could deter further South Korean investment in the United States.
Within a week, more than 300 of the detained nationals were repatriated to Seoul aboard a chartered Korean Air flight. According to officials, the US permitted their voluntary return without penalties after Seoul pressed Washington on the matter. Both sides are now exploring a special visa pathway to allow skilled Korean workers to re-enter the United States for ongoing projects.
The South Korean government has also pledged to review whether human rights violations occurred during the mass detention.
Read more: South Korea probes US raid over potential human rights violations
US President Donald Trump has not addressed the raid directly but sought to reassure investors. In a Sunday post on Truth Social, the 79-year-old Republican said he wanted foreign firms to keep sending experts to train Americans in advanced manufacturing. "I don't want to frighten off or disincentivize investment," he wrote. "We welcome them, we welcome their employees, and we are willing to proudly say we will learn from them."
