A chartered flight from South Korea departed for the United States on Wednesday to bring back more than 300 South Korean workers detained in a recent immigration enforcement operation in Georgia. The plane took off from Incheon International Airport and is scheduled to return with the workers on Thursday afternoon, following an agreement between South Korean and U.S. officials for their release.

The raid, carried out by U.S. Homeland Security on September 4 at a battery factory under construction at Hyundai's auto plant near Savannah, Georgia, resulted in the detention of 475 workers. Video footage released by authorities showed some individuals in restraints, underscoring the operation's scale as part of broader U.S. efforts to enforce immigration laws and pursue mass deportations in areas with significant foreign investment.

South Korea's government swiftly negotiated the workers' release, highlighting ongoing diplomatic coordination between the two nations. This incident occurs amid heightened U.S. focus on illegal immigration, with President Donald Trump stating that the workers were in the country unlawfully and calling for international cooperation to train U.S. citizens for specialized jobs in industries like battery and computer manufacturing.

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In the context of recent U.S.-South Korea relations, the event follows a summit on August 25 in Washington, where President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung discussed trade deals and South Korea's commitments to hundreds of billions in U.S. investments. This development illustrates the challenges of balancing immigration enforcement with international business ties, though specific details of the repatriation agreement remain limited.

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