Government Aims for Charter Flight Departure on 10th Local Time for Koreans Detained in U.S.... Release Expected Six Days After Arrest

The government announced on September 9 that it aims to dispatch a chartered flight for the return of approximately 300 Korean nationals detained in Georgia, United States, stating, "Our goal is for the chartered flight to depart from the United States on Wednesday, September 10, local time." This is expected to be in the morning of September 11, Korean time.

U.S. immigration enforcement authorities released videos and photos on their official website showing the crackdown on illegal residency and employment at the joint battery factory construction site of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Georgia on the 4th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News Agency

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the same day, "We will announce the detailed plan once the departure time is confirmed." If the detained Koreans are released as planned, they will be freed six days after being arrested on September 4. Depending on the situation, not only Korean nationals but also foreign workers who were detained together at the local battery factory may board the chartered flight.

According to the airline industry, Korean Air is reportedly planning to operate a B747-8i chartered flight from Incheon International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia on the morning of September 10. The chartered flight carrying the released Korean workers is expected to depart locally in the late evening of September 10, local time.

The closest airport to the Folkston detention facility in Georgia, where the Korean workers are being held, is Jacksonville International Airport in Florida, which is about a 50-minute drive away. It takes approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes by car to reach Atlanta Airport, where the chartered flight is scheduled to arrive. It has not been confirmed at which airport the detainees will board the chartered flight.

In relation to this, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport on the night of September 8, local time, to consult with U.S. authorities. On September 9, he is expected to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the situation. However, it has not been confirmed whether there will be a meeting with officials from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration policy. The official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We are coordinating meetings with federal government officials in charge of entry and exit matters for our nationals in the United States."