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Koreans 'angry,' 'shocked' over detentions in Georgia, says top presidential aide

Published: 09 Sep. 2025, 19:10 Updated: 10 Sep. 2025, 14:31

Kim Yong-beom, the presidential director of national policy, speaks at a press conference held at the Presidential Office on Aug. 20 in Yongsan District, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

Kim Yong-beom, presidential director of national policy, said Tuesday that the government has "conveyed the people's anger toward Washington" over the detention of more than 300 Korean workers in Georgia by U.S. immigration authorities. Talks on a promised $350 billion investment fund remain stalled due to concerns over its impact on the foreign exchange market, added Kim.

"This situation, where people who had gone there to work were shackled and detained, was shocking," he said at a forum hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club on Tuesday. "The government is finalizing administrative procedures to ensure all detainees return home voluntarily rather than being deported."

"We expressed strong concern and regret in the strongest diplomatic tone, and the trade minister went further by issuing what he called a 'strong protest,'" Kim continued. "The White House, fortunately, understands our position and is working with us to complete the administrative steps.”

A Korean Air charter flight is scheduled to depart on Wednesday to bring the detainees home. The workers will be transported by bus from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Folkston, southern Georgia, to Atlanta, where they will board the flight. The ride takes about four hours and 30 minutes.

Kim noted that the government is negotiating even the most minor details of how the detainees will be moved, saying local law enforcement agencies have insisted on certain procedures "such as doing something to their hands," but Seoul is working to ensure that none of those measures are applied, according to the policy chief.

This handout photo released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sept. 5 allegedly shows a Homeland Security Investigations police officer during a federal search warrant at a company in Ellabell, Georgia, on Sept. 4. [AFP/YONHAP]

This handout photo released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sept. 5 allegedly shows a Homeland Security Investigations police officer during a federal search warrant at a company in Ellabell, Georgia on Sept. 4. [AFP/YONHAP]

On U.S. visa reform, Kim stated that both the Korean government and businesses have been pushing for reform for over a decade. However, the number of lawmakers sponsoring relevant bills in Congress has been shrinking, reflecting a growing anti-immigration sentiment in the United States. He added that the latest incident should be used as momentum to push for systemic change, possibly through a working group with the White House, while also resuming legislative efforts for a long-term solution.

Kim was also asked about Japan’s $550 billion investment agreement with the United States, which reportedly included unfavorable terms. He said the text given to Korea was not much different, but instead questioned whether “anyone in Korea would accept such terms as they are.”

“Japan and Korea are in very different situations,” he said, noting disparities in economic scale, currency status and foreign reserves. “Japan is a reserve currency country and has foreign reserves three times larger than ours. Although I cannot fully disclose details, the crucial issue for Korea is how to raise and operate $350 billion in the foreign exchange market."

Kim pointed out that Korea’s Export-Import Bank of Korea (also known as the Korea Eximbank) and Korea Development Bank together would struggle to raise more than $20 billion to $30 billion in foreign currency annually, especially without a currency swap line in place. “Japan has an unlimited swap arrangement with the United States,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the religious liberty commission at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 8. [EPA/YONHAP]

He also cited concerns about foreign exchange reserves and swap limits, stressing that Washington should provide solutions to prevent financial instability.

“This is why negotiations are in a stalemate,” he said.

Referring to a $250 billion portion of the planned investment excluding shipbuilding, Kim said that without progress, “the 'MASGA [Make American Shipping Great Again] Project' cannot properly begin.” He added that Korea has bargaining leverage and is negotiating comprehensively.

Regarding U.S. tariffs on Korean cars, which remain higher than those on Japanese vehicles, Kim said the government cannot rush into reducing tariff gaps at the cost of destabilizing the economy. “Automobiles are important, and narrowing tariff differences matters, but $350 billion is such a massive shock to our economy that we cannot rush it just to address auto tariffs in the short term,” he said, pledging to seek an agreement with Washington as soon as possible.

On the broader benefits of U.S.-bound investment, Kim stressed that “the implementing entities are Korean companies, so the beneficiaries will ultimately be Korea,” adding that there was “no disagreement” between the two governments on that point.

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 CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]