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Georgia Raid: South korean Workers Return Home After US Detention
INCHEON, South Korea – Hundreds of South Korean workers have returned home after being detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Georgia factory. The workers arrived at Incheon International Airport on Friday, met by relieved family members.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry had requested that media outlets blur the faces of the workers in their coverage, respecting the workers’ concerns about privacy.
Workers who spoke to reporters described the shock of the raid, the experience of being handcuffed and detained, and the conditions they faced while in custody.
“No one would have really wanted to stay,” said Jang Yeong-seon, one of the released workers, referring to a reported offer from then-U.S. President Donald Trump to allow them to remain at the factory.
“I don’t know how the visa situation will turn out,and while there may be things that could require me to go back,for now I will think carefully about it,” he added.
Another worker, who requested anonymity, described the difficulty of sharing a room with another detainee, “with the toilet right next to where we ate and slept.”
“He didn’t say much about how he was, just saying he was okay and telling us not to worry too much.”
Relatives Relieved
Table of Contents
The flight from the U.S. carried 330 individuals who had been detained in the Georgia raid. Among them, 316 were South Koreans, including a pregnant woman, while the remainder were Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian workers. They had been held at an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, approximately 460 kilometers southeast of Atlanta.
Families anxiously awaited their arrival in a parking lot near the airport terminal. As the elevator doors opened, emotional reunions took place.
Hwang In-song, the brother of one of the workers, told the Associated Press that he had only been able to reach his sibling late Thursday, receiving a text message confirming his safety.He described the past week as “the hardest time” for his family.
“we asked him if he was okay health-wise, and he said he was in good health. We didn’t get to talk much because he was about to board the plane,” Hwang said.
Choi Yeon-ju, the 64-year-old mother of another worker, expressed her shock at her son’s detention. She said her son had made a brief phone call to the family after midnight Thursday.
“He didn’t say much about how he was, just saying he was okay and telling us not to worry too much,” she said, as she waited with her daughter-in-law and grandchild.
US Immigration Policy and Skilled Workers
Immigration policy in the United States is governed by a complex set of laws and regulations that determine who can enter the country, how long they can stay, and whether they can work. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the primary body of law that governs immigration to the U.S. https://www.justice.gov/eoir/immigration-nationality-act
Raids like the one in Georgia are part of a broader effort to enforce immigration laws and address unauthorized employment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees immigration enforcement through agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). https://www.dhs.gov/
Timeline of Events
* Sept 2025: Immigration raid occurs at a Georgia factory.
* Following week: South Korean officials negotiate the release of detained workers.
* Friday: detained workers arrive back in South Korea.
Long-Term Trend:
The number of deportations from the U.S. has fluctuated over the years. In 2020, there were 185,884 deportations, a decrease from previous years.https://www.dhs.gov/
* 330: Total number of workers on the flight.
* 316: Number of South Korean workers on the flight.
* 460: Kilometers southeast of Atlanta where the detention center was located.
Trump Halted Departure Process
South Korea announced on Sunday that it had reached an agreement with the U.S. for the release of the Korean workers.
The initial plan was to bring the workers home on Thursday, but the plan was delayed due to a reason involving the U.S. side. The South Korean Foreign Ministry later stated that Trump had paused the departure process to consult with South Korea on whether the workers should be allowed to stay and continue their work, training U.S. workers, or be sent back to South Korea.
South Korean officials confirmed that one South Korean national with relatives in the U.S. chose to remain in the country.
The battery plant, a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, is one of over 20 major industrial sites that South Korean companies are currently constructing in the United States.
Speaking at the airport, Kim Dong Myung, the chief executive officer of LG Energy Solution, minimized concerns that the raid would considerably delay the launch of the Georgia factory, stating that any disruptions “would be within a level we can manage.”
Cho Hyun speaks to the media after returning from Washington at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025″ width=”800″ height=”533″ loading=”lazy”/>U.S. authorities stated that some of the detained Korean workers had crossed the U.S.border illegally, while others had entered legally but had visas that had expired or had entered on visa waivers that did not permit them to work.
South Korean officials have stated that the U.S.has not adequately addressed their requests to improve the visa system for skilled Korean workers,even as Washington encourages Seoul to increase U.S. industrial investments.
South Korean companies have primarily relied on short-term visitor visas or the Electronic System for Travel Authorization to send workers needed to launch manufacturing sites and handle setup tasks, a practice that had been largely tolerated.
South Korean Foreign minister Cho Hyun, who traveled to Washington to negotiate the workers’ release, said U.S. officials had agreed to allow them to return later to finish their work. The two countries also agreed to establish a working group to explore ways to make it easier for South Korean companies to send employees to the U.S.
“We will discuss all measures, including creating a new visa category, establishing a new quota, and various steps to make obtaining a visa easier,” Cho told reporters upon his return home Friday. He noted that most of the detained workers had ESTAs, while others had short-term B-1 or B-2 visas and L-1 visas.
South Korean President lee jae Myung warned on Thursday that South Korean companies will likely hesitate to make further investments in the U.S. unless it improves its visa system.
The raid occurred approximately two weeks after a summit between Lee and Trump, and shortly after South Korea’s announcement of a significant investment plan in the U.S. in exchange for a lowered U.S. tariff rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why were the South Korean workers detained?
A: U.S. authorities claimed some workers had illegally crossed the border, while others had expired visas or were using visa waivers that didn’t allow them to work.
Q: What is South Korea asking the U.S. to do?
A: South Korea is requesting the U.S. to improve its visa system for skilled Korean workers to facilitate easier deployment for industrial projects.
Q: What was the outcome of the negotiations between South Korea and the U.S.?
A: The U.S. agreed to allow the workers to return later to finish their work, and both countries will form a working group to explore ways to ease visa processes for South Korean companies.
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