South Korean Foreign Minister Travels to Washington to Address the Detention of Hyundai Workers

South Korean Foreign Minister Travels to Washington

300 South Korean Workers Detained

Seeking Agreement on Reentry

South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Cho Hyun, set off this Monday on a key trip to Washington with the goal of addressing the situation of more than 300 South Korean workers recently arrested in an immigration raid inside Hyundai’s megasite in Georgia.

The most anticipated meeting will be with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at a moment of high diplomatic and economic sensitivity between the two countries.

South Korean Foreign Minister Seeks Solutions

South Korean Foreign Minister Travels to Washington to Address the Detention of Hyundai Workers – PHOTO: EFE/EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

What Cho Said About the Detention of Hyundai Workers

Before departing, Cho explained before the National Assembly, in a session streamed on YouTube, that there is already “a general agreement” with Washington to ensure that workers who are released will not face disadvantages when attempting to reenter the United States.

“Negotiations are moving well in that direction and we are in the final confirmation phase,” he stated, making clear his intention to meet personally with Rubio to finalize the details.

Beyond the Detentions

The minister will not only bring up the case of those arrested, but also the growing shortage of visas affecting South Korean companies with major investments in the United States.

This is a matter of concern for Seoul, particularly in strategic sectors such as automotive and energy.

The Events Behind the Raid

“They arrived, bulldozed through, and didn’t accept any documents”: three Latinos recount major raid at Hyundai plant in Georgia https://t.co/hfRNFfnKrP

— CNN en Español (@CNNEE) September 7, 2025

Last week, U.S. federal authorities detained more than 300 South Korean nationals who were working on the construction of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution’s battery plant.

Many of them either lacked valid work visas or were using documents that did not allow them to perform labor at that industrial site.

From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, officials stated this Monday that the immediate goal is to secure “voluntary departure” for all the workers.

This option would allow them to return to South Korea more quickly, although doubts remain about the conditions of their future reentry into U.S. territory.

You May Be Interested: Raid at Hyundai Plant Leaves 450 Hispanic and South Korean Workers Detained

Uncertain Outlook

A South Korean consular official in the U.S. told Yonhap news agency that, depending on the individual immigration status of each worker, “the possibility that they face entry restrictions on future visits to the country cannot be entirely ruled out.”

This warning reflects the complexity of the case and the risks still looming over those who were detained.

Cho Hyun’s trip to Washington is shaping up as a high-stakes diplomatic mission: it seeks not only to protect the rights of the affected workers but also to ensure that the economic and political relationship between South Korea and the United States does not suffer another setback.

What happens in the coming days will set a precedent for bilateral cooperation on migration, labor, and industrial issues.

Do you think the United States should ease its immigration policies when it comes to workers tied to strategic foreign investment projects?

SOURCE: EFE