Seoul: Seoul's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated Wednesday that South Koreans detained in a recent U.S. immigration crackdown will be "rescued within the shortest time." His ministry cited "unspecified U.S. circumstances" as the reason for a delay in their release from a detention center in Georgia. Cho's remarks were made ahead of his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House to address issues concerning the detainees.
According to Yonhap News Agency, more than 300 South Korean workers were initially scheduled to board a chartered flight Wednesday at an airport in Atlanta to return home. This plan comes six days after their arrest during an immigration raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site, which is a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County near Savannah.
Cho was asked to elaborate on the reasons for the delay in the detainees' release. He mentioned that it is "not at a stage now to tell you about U.S. circumstances." The situation arises amidst heightened tensions and negotiations between the U.S. and South Korea regarding the detained individuals.