Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, called for improvements to insufficient systems such as work visas, following the return of Korean citizens who had been detained in the United States.
On the 12th, Governor Kim posted on his social media, "I hope the workers who endured hardship, and their families, who must have felt that each day was as long as a year, are able to recover both physically and emotionally." He added, "I also want to express my deep appreciation to the government officials who worked tirelessly day and night to ensure the safe return of our citizens."
He went on to say, "Such incidents must never be repeated," and emphasized, "We need to take this opportunity to address deficiencies in systems such as work visas and establish fundamental solutions."
Previously, U.S. immigration authorities detained 316 Korean workers dispatched to the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution battery plant construction site in Georgia due to visa issues.
After being held in a detention facility for eight days, they returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the 12th, following diplomatic efforts and negotiations by the Korean government.
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