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Rookie DP lawmakers demand U.S. apology over ICE raid

Published: 17 Sep. 2025, 15:38 Updated: 17 Sep. 2025, 19:37

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

First-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party (DP) demand the U.S. government make a formal apology for the weeklong confinement of 300 Korean workers who were detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Georgia, during a press conference held at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 17. [YONHAP]

First-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party (DP) demanded the U.S. government formally apologize and take responsible follow-up measures for the weeklong confinement of 300 Korean workers who were detained in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Georgia earlier this month.

"The United States' government must clearly apologize for the insult and human rights infringement suffered by the people of its ally country, and also where the accountability lies within the relevant agencies," said a group of lawmakers represented by DP Reps. Lee Jae-gang, Lee Yeon-hee, Lee Geon-tae and Kwon Hyang-yup, during a press conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Wednesday.

"Governments must cooperate to systematically ensure that no similar incidents take place in the future, and to guarantee the safety and protection of allies," said the group, stressing the need to amend visa and immigration laws and secure the rights of foreign laborers.

The group also went on to demand that the U.S. government "stop the unreasonable tariffs."

"It must respect the spirit of the FTA and stop the discriminatory tariffs against Korean automobiles, steel and agriculture," said the group. "Negotiations must take place within the bounds of respect that abide by the international trade conventions."

"Only through mutual respect and reciprocity does an alliance grow, not upon a one-sided sacrifice," the group continued. "We strongly urge the U.S. government as our true ally to present a responsible attitude regarding the recent detention incident as well as the tariff deals."

The news comes after some 300 Koreans were captured during an ICE crackdown of a battery plant jointly constructed by LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group in Georgia on Sept. 4. They were returned to Korea on Friday after a week in detention at the Folkston ICE Processing Center.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]