South Korean and U.S. officials will hold a working-level meeting in Washington, D.C., this Tuesday (Sept. 30) to discuss improvements to the U.S. visa system for South Korean citizens, Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday, citing a diplomatic source.
The source stated that the meeting will be led by officials from South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State, with the participation of the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce also expected.
Discussions will focus on resolving visa-related issues for South Koreans engaged in investment activities in the United States. The working group is anticipated to prioritize reviewing the scope of the U.S. B-1 business visa and discuss establishing a dedicated window for South Korean businesspeople at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. South Korea also plans to actively push for the creation of a new visa category specifically for its business activities in the U.S.
This meeting comes in the wake of a raid conducted by U.S. law enforcement on September 4th at the construction site of a battery plant in Georgia, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution. During the raid, 317 South Korean nationals were detained on allegations of working in violation of their visa status. The incident drew significant attention in South Korea and amplified calls for the U.S. to improve its visa system for South Korean citizens.
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