Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to depart for U.S. to finalize release of detained Koreans
Published: 08 Sep. 2025, 11:31
![Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attends a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung at the presidential office in central Seoul on Aug. 29. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/08/67fe3ddd-d9cf-4dbd-a6fe-70fb7ed7fa8f.jpg)
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attends a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung at the presidential office in central Seoul on Aug. 29. [YONHAP]
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is scheduled to depart for the United States on Monday afternoon as the situation surrounding the mass detention of Korean nationals in Georgia enters its final phase. Cho plans to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials to conclude negotiations for the release of the detained Koreans.
Cho will first attend a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Monday morning, where lawmakers will question him on the ongoing detentions, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. He is expected to board a flight to the United States later in the day.
Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, said Sunday that “negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been finalized,” but added that “administrative procedures remain.” Cho’s visit is seen as a move to directly oversee these remaining formalities.
The government plans to dispatch a chartered flight to bring the Korean nationals home once the administrative process is complete.
“If necessary, I will go to Washington myself to hold consultations with the U.S. administration," said Cho, at a joint meeting of the government’s overseas Korean protection task force held at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sunday.
Cho’s trip is also understood to be partly prompted by the absence of a Korean ambassador to the United States and a consul general in Atlanta. Currently, Cho Ki-joong, the acting consul general in Washington, is heading the on-site response team. The final steps for the release are expected to be coordinated directly by Cho in the United States.
“The U.S. State Department has been actively gathering information from law enforcement agencies since the incident occurred,” said a Foreign Ministry official. “They understand this is a law enforcement matter but are cooperating closely with us to resolve it as quickly as possible.”
![Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers opening remarks at the ministry in central Seoul on Saturday during a joint task force meeting on responses after more than 300 Koreans were detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solutions battery plant construction site in Georgia. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/08/fa3caec4-e892-475f-9eae-42f04269e334.jpg)
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers opening remarks at the ministry in central Seoul on Saturday during a joint task force meeting on responses after more than 300 Koreans were detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solutions battery plant construction site in Georgia. [NEWS1]
The incident stems from a strict enforcement operation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While the detentions were carried out in accordance with U.S. law, the case has now moved toward resolution through diplomatic channels, and the remaining procedures are expected to be completed swiftly.
In addition to overseeing the release, Cho also plans to request U.S. cooperation to prevent similar incidents from happening again. He is expected to raise concerns that the visa issues at the root of the detentions could hinder future Korean investment in the United States.
Kang also said the government will work to “improve and review the visa system for workers on U.S.-related projects to prevent similar cases.”
Many of the detained Koreans had entered the United States using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or B1 business visas for training or attending meetings.
However, for legal employment, they would have needed H-1B professional work visas or L1 and E2 visas for transferees and investors. Due to long processing times and strict conditions, the use of ESTA or B1 visas had become a common workaround.
![Immigration and customs agents restrain workers who were apprehended at a battery plant construction site on charges of violating U.S. immigration rules in Savannah, Georgia. More than 300 Korean nationals were reported to be captured during the raid. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/08/643c6e11-d57f-4e85-b066-756bad7d9c9f.jpg)
Immigration and customs agents restrain workers who were apprehended at a battery plant construction site on charges of violating U.S. immigration rules in Savannah, Georgia. More than 300 Korean nationals were reported to be captured during the raid. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Observers warn that unless the visa issue is addressed, similar incidents could happen again and Korean business travel and investment in the United States could suffer.
Criticism has also emerged that the Korean government was complacent in responding to the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies. A Foreign Ministry official said the ministry is now reviewing the visa status of Korean workers at overseas missions across the United States to prevent similar cases.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK HYUN-JU,CHUNG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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