Atlanta: Lee Jae Myung, the President of South Korea, announced on Thursday that South Korean workers detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Georgia are set to be released at 3 p.m. (Seoul time). He expressed concerns that the recent immigration raid might deter Korean companies from investing in the United States.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the detention incident occurred at a Hyundai-LG battery plant and has raised fears among Korean firms about potential unfavorable treatment by U.S. authorities. President Lee emphasized that such actions could significantly influence the decision of Korean companies considering setting up factories in the U.S.
The President stated that arrangements have been made for the detainees to leave the facility by 3 p.m. He added that a chartered plane is scheduled to transport 316 Koreans, including 10 females, and 14 foreign nationals. The flight is expected to depart at approximately 1 a.m. Friday and arrive in Seoul later that afternoon. One worker has chosen to remain in the U.S. due to having a family member who is a permanent resident.
President Lee explained that the departure was initially set for Wednesday but faced delays. This was due to U.S. officials' insistence on transporting the workers in handcuffs, a move that was strongly protested by Seoul. Following this protest, Washington reversed its stance, citing "a directive from the White House."
Lee further mentioned that President Donald Trump had directed, "Let them return freely, but those who don't want to go don't have to," which led to a temporary halt in the process to adjust the administrative procedures.