South Korea says the US diplomat apologizes for the immigration raid on Korean laborers
A senior U.S. envoy apologized Sunday for an immigration raid in Georgia that resulted in the arrest of hundreds of South Korean laborers and suggested that the incident be used as a springboard to improve ties between the two countries, according to South Korea.
The foreign ministry released a statement after First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Seoul and urged him to advance bilateral talks on follow-up measures, including a new visa category.
A week after being arrested during the major immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) new generation battery plant, which sent shockwaves through South Korea, a crucial U.S. ally, about 300 South Korean workers returned home on Friday to applause and tearful reunions.
President Donald Trump showed “high interest” in the matter, according to the ministry. “Deputy Secretary Landau expressed deep regret over the incident and proposed using it as a turning point to improve the system and strengthen the South Korea-U.S. relationship,” the ministry said.
According to a new item on Friday, South Korea’s senior security adviser stated that Trump had indicated that the Koreans might remain in the United States if they so desired and that the talks with U.S. officials were simple.
Seoul has urged the United States to establish a new visa category for Korean experts and provide clear instructions for current business visas in order to encourage significant investment initiatives by Korean companies in the United States and avoid a repeat of this kind of situation.
Landau urged Washington and Seoul to expedite working-level conversations during the meeting on Sunday in order to guarantee that visas are issued in proportion to the contributions of Korean workers. The ministry also noted that Korean investments aid in the reconstruction of U.S. industry.
There was no quick response from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
According to the ministry, Landau mentioned President Donald Trump’s determination that the Korean workers will not suffer any difficulties when they re-enter the United States, which made Park label his visit “timely” in the wake of the raid.
