Seoul: LG Energy Solution Ltd., a leading battery maker, announced plans to gradually resume business trips to the United States later this month. This decision comes roughly a month after a significant detention incident in Georgia, where 47 of its employees and approximately 250 subcontractor workers were detained during a U.S. immigration raid at a construction site for a joint Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution battery plant on September 4.

According to Yonhap News Agency, LG Energy Solution had previously suspended all trips to the U.S. following the raid. The decision to resume trips was made after a working group meeting earlier this week, during which officials from Seoul and Washington clarified permissible activities for holders of B-1 short-term business visas. Under the new agreement, Korean companies can use the B-1 visa for activities such as installing, servicing, and repairing equipment purchased from overseas in connection with their investment process in the U.S.

Additionally, individuals entering the U.S. through the ESTA program may also participate in these activities. LG Energy Solution emphasized its commitment to prioritizing employee safety and providing systemic support, as it currently operates or is constructing seven plants in the U.S.

In a statement, the company expressed its dedication to ensuring a safe environment for business trips and normalizing plant construction in the U.S. “We will do our best to create a safe environment for business trips and to normalize plant construction in the U.S. in order to maintain trust with customers,” the company said.