Korean gov't to investigate claims that workers detained in Georgia were abused
![Korean workers who were detained at a factory in Georgia before being released leave Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport after returning to Korea on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/15/e1d3263b-8179-45f0-a118-6babbd7b5c87.jpg)
Korean workers who were detained at a factory in Georgia before being released leave Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport after returning to Korea on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The Korean government will verify claims that Korean workers detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Georgia were subjected to racial discrimination and other human rights abuses, officials said Monday, adding that the government would formally protest to Washington if the allegations are confirmed.
“We will begin looking into what happened after our people were transferred to the detention facility, including whether there were any human rights violations," an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters on Monday.
The government will collect statements directly from the workers while also reviewing accounts gathered by their employers, according to officials. No complaints of racial discrimination were reported during the initial consular meetings in the United States, which is why the ministry stressed that it would conduct a thorough review.
“Consular officers met with around 50 detainees at a time and focused on urgent matters, so there may not have been enough time for individuals to raise all their concerns," a Foreign Ministry official said.
The ministry stated that if inhumane treatment is confirmed, it will raise the issue through diplomatic channels and demand measures to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
![Violations found at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in November 2021, as revealed by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security [DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/15/f31079df-3096-446d-9eab-66536a8916fc.jpg)
Violations found at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in November 2021, as revealed by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security [DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY]
![Violations found at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in November 2021, as revealed by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security [DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/15/f3327464-73b0-4f5f-943c-f6f5ad339304.jpg)
Violations found at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in November 2021, as revealed by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security [DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY]
“Both Korea and the United States share the view that the problem fundamentally stems from structural issues,” the official said. “In an effort to make the most of this opportunity, we intend to document various related cases and raise the matter with the United States on multiple occasions.”
The ministry’s rapid response team also lodged a complaint with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about the arrests of some workers who had entered the country on short-term business (B1) visas. ICE reportedly told officials that it had conducted inspections at construction sites and detained individuals who could not adequately explain their work duties during questioning.
Detention for immigration violations in the United States typically lasts three to four months, but negotiations progressed after Korea proposed repatriating the workers on a chartered flight — a plan ICE accepted.
"The Korean Consulate General in Atlanta and ICE’s Atlanta field office agreed to set up a consultative body to prevent similar incidents, to which ICE gave a positive response," said the Foreign Ministry official.
![A chartered flight carrying Korean workers released from U.S. immigration detention lands on the runway at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/15/c091a465-d158-4a10-a0ee-325b0814b61c.jpg)
A chartered flight carrying Korean workers released from U.S. immigration detention lands on the runway at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
![Detainees are made to stand against a bus before being handcuffed, during a raid by federal agents where about 300 Koreans were among 475 people arrested at the site of a $4.3 billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to build batteries for electric cars in Ellabell, Georgia on Sept. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/15/a6a3296d-2ac6-4f18-85e7-55146dc9c1e5.jpg)
Detainees are made to stand against a bus before being handcuffed, during a raid by federal agents where about 300 Koreans were among 475 people arrested at the site of a $4.3 billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to build batteries for electric cars in Ellabell, Georgia on Sept. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
The ministry also confirmed that the B1 visas held by the workers were not invalidated by their detention and repatriation. Seoul plans to engage in broader discussions with Washington about how the B1 visa status is interpreted. The issue is expected to be the first item addressed when a new Korea-U.S. working group is launched.
“A working-level consultation is currently underway through the Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to formally establish the working group,” the official said.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung also said in a press briefing on Monday that “the government is conducting a more thorough review" with the companies to “determine whether any human rights violations occurred” regarding the incident.
She added that the Foreign Ministry is investigating whether Seoul’s demands were properly met, and that Korean companies are conducting separate reviews to determine whether the Korean or U.S. side responded insufficiently.
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 SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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