Around 300 South Korean workers returned home on Friday, one week after being detained in a large-scale U.S. immigration raid at a battery project site in Georgia.
Workers wearing face masks began disembarking a chartered plane at Incheon airport and were greeted with cheers from officials including the presidential chief of staff.
Their return capped a week of intense negotiations by Seoul to win their release and bring them home after they were taken into custody in handcuffs and shackles - shocking many in South Korea, a key U.S. ally.
South Korean businesses have long struggled with obtaining proper visas for specialist workers needed at project sites for months at a time, which has led to some workers relying on grey areas in U.S. visa enforcement.
The two countries are looking at establishing a working group to consider a new type of visa for Koreans, according to South Korea's foreign minister who visited Washington this week.
The workers, also including 10 from China, three from Japan and an Indonesian national, were met by family members and officials at LG Energy Solution, and its subcontractors.
The battery company is partnering with Hyundai Motor to build the plant in Georgia.
The raid horrified South Koreans and has threatened to destabilise ties at a time when the countries are seeking to finalise a trade deal, which includes a $350 billion investment fund to support strategic U.S. industries.
In one sign of resentment, at the arrival gate, someone unfurled a poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump wearing an outfit with the initials of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement service and carrying a bag full of dollar bills with a machine gun slung across his chest. The caption read: "We're friends!".
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who flew to Washington this week to seek a quick resolution, has called on U.S. officials to come up with a new visa for workers at Korean businesses investing in the United States.
President Lee Jae Myung warned on Thursday that the incident could make South Korean companies hesitant about investing in the U.S at a time when Trump has been seeking to encourage foreign investment in manufacturing.
Previously Trump had offered to allow them to stay in the United States, but only one has opted to remain, South Korean officials said on Thursday.
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Repub...
Nordic and Baltic leaders arrived in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Flag Day on Sunday as Russia continued its drone campaign and Kyiv warned of a potent...
Syria expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon despite deep mistrust between the two sides, Syrian Foreign Ministe...
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was not ready to make what he called the "right deal" with Washington as tensions persisted over the war and the Strait of Hormuz.
Nordic and Baltic leaders arrived in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Flag Day on Sunday as Russia continued its drone campaign and Kyiv warned of a potential new Russian mobilisation.
Nordic and Baltic leaders arrived in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Flag Day on Sunday as Russia continued its drone campaign and Kyiv warned of a potential new Russian mobilisation.
Syria expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon despite deep mistrust between the two sides, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in an interview with Reuters, urging Israel to seize an "historic opportunity" as the door for diplomacy is open.
India's Coast Guard and Navy continued search-and-rescue operations off the eastern coast on Sunday after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying 24 crew sank, with two Chinese nationals rescued, a senior official said.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has called for continued military strength and national unity during a visit to the sensitive frontline island of Kinmen, saying peace must be protected "through strength."
The European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism sent helicopters and firefighters to help Serbia fight a massive wildfire in a nature reserve in the northeast of the country, the head of the European Union mission to Belgrade said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment