US Permits South Korean Workers on Short-Term Visas at Industrial Sites

The United States has agreed to allow South Korean workers on short-term visas or through its visa waiver programme to help build industrial sites in America, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The move follows weeks of diplomatic tension after more than 300 Korean nationals were detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant construction site in Georgia, sparking outrage in Seoul.

The mass detention in Savannah, where footage showed workers shackled at the hands, ankles and waist, fuelled anger among South Koreans who saw the incident as a humiliation for a close U.S. ally. The timing also heightened frustration in Seoul, which had announced large-scale U.S. investment pledges only weeks earlier, partly aimed at easing tariff threats from Washington. South Korea has long pressed for reforms to facilitate visas for skilled workers, citing delays and disruptions at U.S. industrial projects involving Korean companies.

Following bilateral talks in Washington on Tuesday, Seoul said American officials reaffirmed that South Korean firms can continue sending workers using B-1 short-term business visas or the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) programme. These workers are permitted to install, service, and repair equipment at U.S. sites, a practice that had been informally tolerated for years. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who earlier travelled to Washington to negotiate the workers’ release, confirmed that U.S. officials had agreed to let them return later to finish their assignments.

Also Read: Organisation Slams Trump’s $100,000 H1B Fee as Reckless, Xenophobic Move

Despite the agreement, Seoul continues to push for a dedicated visa category to ensure smoother entry for skilled industrial workers. However, U.S. officials cautioned that broader reforms would require legislative action and were unlikely in the near term. Most of the workers detained in Georgia were employed by LG Energy Solution and subcontractors. LG said in a statement it would “thoroughly prepare and work diligently to normalise the construction and operation of our factories in the United States,” underscoring the stakes for Korean firms as they expand investments in American manufacturing.

Also Read: Plane Departs Korea to Repatriate Workers Detained in Georgia Raid