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Seoul issues rare rebuke of Washington after detention of Korean workers

Published: 16 Sep. 2025, 18:59 Updated: 16 Sep. 2025, 19:05

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun answers questions from lawmakers during a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs, unification and security at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 16. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Korea's head of foreign affairs made a rare public outcry against the United States in light of the recent confinement of Korean nationals in Georgia, effectively calling the country unreliable as a diplomatic partner.

“I realized that this is not the United States that used to cooperate well with many allies and friendly countries,” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday during a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs, unification and security at the National Assembly in western Seoul.

“It seems the United States has changed as international circumstances have shifted over the past 30 years after the Cold War, while both Europe and the United States have also been struggling with immigration issues.”

He remarked in response to Rep. Lee In-young of the Democratic Party, who asked whether public complaints that “the United States has been too harsh on its ally” were valid.

The case involves around 300 Korean workers who were detained by U.S. authorities in Georgia earlier this month for alleged visa violations while working at the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution battery plant. Their detention sparked public concern in Korea and heightened pressure on Seoul to secure their release.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Cho during his urgent trip to Washington to coordinate a swift release of the detainees. The United States also made diplomatic efforts afterward to resolve the case. Critics said high-ranking officials should speak with more caution, noting that Korea must continue to cooperate with Washington to improve visa rules and prevent similar incidents from happening again.

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]

Rep. Kim Gunn of the People Power Party (PPP) also asked whether Cho had coordinated with the presidential office before Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik announced that negotiations over the detentions had been completed.

“On the morning of Sept. 7, I happened to report to the presidential office on another matter,” Cho said. “Chief of Staff Kang, the presidential chief of staff for policy and the national security adviser were there, and I told them the issue was almost resolved.”

Kang had said at a high-level meeting on Sept. 7 that the government, business groups and companies had worked together to finalize negotiations for the release. Critics later questioned whether the statement came too soon.

“I may have exaggerated a bit when I said it was completed,” Cho said. “Given how serious the matter was and how concerned the public was for the safety of our citizens, I understand why the presidential office announced it as good news.”

On the stalled follow-up talks after the July 30 agreement on tariffs with Washington, Cho said the government could not accept the plan presented by the United States.

“We are focusing on creating a win-win solution,” he said.

Asked why the issue was not included in the joint statement after the Aug. 25 summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, Cho said, “Since we could not accept the U.S. proposal, it was in the national interest not to put it in writing and instead to continue negotiations.”

Responding to Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Kim Yong-beom's earlier comment that the countries were discussing legal issues related to a nonbinding memorandum of understanding, Cho stressed that any deal that could place burdens on the public must go through the National Assembly.

“We made this clear to the U.S. side as well,” he said.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also testified at the session.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok answers questions from lawmakers during a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs, unification and security at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 16. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Asked by Rep. Bae June-young of the PPP whether the planned $350 billion investment in U.S. shipbuilding cooperation required parliamentary approval, he said, “It is difficult to say categorically, but at the final stage of negotiations, consent from the National Assembly may be required.”

Seoul and Washington agreed to lower reciprocal tariff rates from 25 percent to 15 percent, with Korea pledging to invest $350 billion in cooperation with the U.S. shipbuilding industry. But follow-up negotiations remain deadlocked.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, meanwhile, said that the government plans to reduce the civilian control zone, or CCZ, to as close as 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) — the de facto land border between the two Koreas — depending on the region.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back answers questions from lawmakers during a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs, unification and security at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 16. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

“This is a measure to address the loss of property rights and inconveniences faced by residents in border areas,” Ahn said. “In the early 1970s, the CCZ in each border region was set 27, 20, 15 or 10 kilometers away from the MDL. We are now reducing it to 5 kilometers depending on the area.”

On entry procedures within the CCZ, Ahn said the government would rely on digital tools rather than traditional systems.

“Instead of using a radio frequency identification system, we asked contractors to develop a smartphone app that will pinpoint locations accurately and allow people to start their journeys without waiting,” he said. “We plan to finish the work by the end of this year.”

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]]