According to a report by South Korea's Chosun Ilbo, Kang Hun-sik, Chief of Staff to the President, announced on Sept. 7 that negotiations for the release of South Korean citizens detained by U.S. immigration authorities at a construction site of a factory have been completed. He also revealed that the South Korean government will dispatch a charter flight to the United States.
The U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) previously stated in a press conference that on Sept. 4, in a joint operation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies, a large-scale raid was conducted at a Hyundai Motor plant in Georgia. A total of 475 immigrants suspected of illegally residing and working were arrested, most of whom were from South Korea. According to media reports, approximately 300 of those detained are South Korean citizens.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already responded to the incident. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that President Lee Jae-myung has issued instructions to address the matter, emphasizing that the South Korean Embassy in the United States and the Consulate General in Atlanta should lead the efforts in handling the situation. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the enforcement action on Sept. 5, referring to the detained individuals as "illegal foreigners" and stating that the federal law enforcement agencies were merely performing their duties.
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