Korea to work with U.S. to improve visa system after ICE raid, national security adviser says
Published: 12 Sep. 2025, 19:01
Updated: 12 Sep. 2025, 19:04
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- SARAH KIM
- [email protected]
![National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks to reporters at a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Sept. 12 after the return of Koreans detained in Georgia. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/12/87ac27e2-1ff2-4c44-813a-5b480f502df1.jpg)
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks to reporters at a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Sept. 12 after the return of Koreans detained in Georgia. [NEWS1]
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Friday that Seoul will work with Washington to improve the U.S. visa system to eliminate risks for Korean companies operating in the United States following the shocking immigration raid in Georgia last week.
"We are working with the United States to ensure that our companies are supported and given clear U.S. government guidelines on visas to ensure consistent enforcement by U.S. law enforcement agencies," Wi said in a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul. "We will improve practices within the current system to eliminate any uncertainty for our companies."
The briefing came shortly after over 300 Korean workers returned on a chartered plane following their detention by U.S. immigration authorities after a massive raid at an electric car battery plant construction site by LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group in Georgia on Sept. 4.
Wi stressed that to resolve the visa issue, the two countries need to work toward improving the current system or creating a new visa category.
This comes as the majority of Koreans detained in the raid had entered on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver program, short-term B1 business and B2 tourist visas in order to work at the plant construction site to meet deadlines.
![Korean workers who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities in Georgia arrive at Incheon International Airport on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/12/cf09b63f-5d83-4f49-9300-69fd8c9bf7e2.jpg)
Korean workers who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities in Georgia arrive at Incheon International Airport on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
"We need to handle this issue urgently, taking a step-by-step approach," Wi said. "We will flexibly explore ways to improve the current system tangibly for businesses, such as shortening visa issuance times, reducing costs and identifying visa categories used by small business partners," Wi said. In the longer term, he pointed out that the country could set a new visa quota for Koreans or create a new type of visa through revisions to U.S. law. However, this would require the consent of the U.S. Congress, which he pointed out might not be an easy process.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposed the establishment of a working group involving relevant agencies, Wi said, and are currently holding working-level consultations to this end.
This comes despite U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's comments that it is up to Hyundai to get the "right visa" and not to "do it the wrong way" as he spoke on "The Axios Show" Thursday. Companies have faced difficulties in getting the appropriate visas issued by the U.S. in a timely manner.
Lutnick also told CNBC in an interview Thursday that Korea should either accept the trade deal struck in late July, or face steep tariffs, aid an impasse in negotiations to iron out specifics of the deal. He said that the "Japanese signed the contract" and there is "no flexibility."
Wi however played down the demands and said there is "no need to pay attention to rhetoric."
![National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks to reporters at a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Sept. 12 after the return of Koreans detained in Georgia. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/12/2bb33232-ec05-4d04-9c24-14080b3450c3.jpg)
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks to reporters at a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Sept. 12 after the return of Koreans detained in Georgia. [NEWS1]
Wi confirmed that the two governments came to an agreement that the 316 released Korean workers who voluntarily returned to Seoul will have no problem with re-entry to the United States, addressing concerns that these nationals may face disadvantages when visiting in the future.
He said that U.S. authorities were also on the same page regarding this.
Wi again reiterated that Korea is seeking a comprehensive "package deal" encompassing both trade and security issues, as the concerns facing the two countries are all "interconnected."
"Security negotiations were initially slow, but they're now progressing quickly," the national security adviser said. He added that the two sides have reached a broader consensus on security issues, but tariff negotiations have slowed down again.
President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump held their first summit in Washington last month, and Wi said, "Security has been largely resolved, and now, the remaining issue is tariffs."
He also told reporters that there has been "meaningful progress" in a broad framework agreement regarding revisions to a nuclear energy agreement with the United States. This comes as Seoul has sought to ease restrictions on enriching or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.
Wi said there is "mutual understanding that South Korea should have more room to maneuver in uranium enrichment and reprocessing," adding that Seoul hopes to follow in the footsteps of Tokyo in this area.
The nuclear energy issue is being discussed under the security package, he explained, and it is "almost settled."
BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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