Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Seoul's top diplomat Wednesday that US President Donald Trump has directed him to take swift measures in reflection of South Korea's wishes regarding its nationals detained in a recent US immigration crackdown, the foreign ministry said.
Rubio's remarks during talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Washington boded well for Seoul's efforts to secure an early repatriation of some 300 Koreans detained in last week's raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site for a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Georgia.
Cho requested Rubio to allow the Korean workers to swiftly head home without physical restraints, such as handcuffs, and to ensure they avoid any disadvantages with future reentry into the United States, according to the ministry.
He relayed "deep concerns" over the "big scar" and "shock" that Korean citizens as a whole suffered while watching the public arrest of South Korean workers who had come to the US to share technology and know-how in order to contribute to US efforts to revitalize domestic manufacturing, it said.
"(Rubio said that President Trump) understands Koreans' sensitivity of the matter, and (that Trump) positively views South Korea's investment and role in revitalizing the US economy and manufacturing," the ministry said in a press release.
"(He said) President Trump has instructed (him) to swiftly conduct consultations and take steps to ensure things will materialize according to the South Korean side's wishes if possible. And he called for cooperation on quick follow-up measures," it added.
Cho also proposed creating a working group to discuss various options, including establishing a new visa category, as part of efforts to prevent a repeat of such a detention, the ministry said.
"According to (the outcome from) the meeting, our government is actively engaging in working-level consultations with the US side, and making all efforts to ensure that our citizens will be released from detention and return home at the earliest possible time," it said.
Seoul had initially planned to secure the release of the Korean workers from a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, on Wednesday morning before their departure aboard a chartered Korean Air plane in the afternoon.
But their release has been delayed, the ministry said, citing "unspecified US circumstances."
At the talks, the top diplomats, moreover, discussed future high-level diplomatic schedules, including those for summit-level talks.
Cho called for efforts to publish a document detailing the outcomes from the Aug. 25 summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump, and to cooperate to enforce related follow-up measures. Rubio said Washington will explore possible options after an internal review, the ministry said.
On North Korea, Rubio reiterated Washington's openness to dialogue with Pyongyang and its commitment to maintaining close cooperation with South Korea toward that end.
Cho said South Korea will play a role as a "pacemaker" in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula as Lee had said during his summit with Trump.
The minister also relayed Lee's special regards to Trump, noting Seoul's desire to develop the robust alliance based on a bond that Lee and Trump forged during the summit, according to the ministry.
In a separate readout, Tommy Pigott, the State Department's principal deputy spokesperson, said that Rubio welcomed South Korea's investment in the US and showed his interest in deepening cooperation on that front.
The chief diplomats emphasized their shared commitment to addressing the "destabilizing" threats posed by North Korea's "unlawful" nuclear and missile programs, Pigott said.
They also discussed advancing the bilateral alliance through a "forward-looking agenda that strengthens deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, expands equitable defense burden sharing, revitalizes American manufacturing through ROK investment in shipbuilding and other strategic sectors, and promotes a fair and reciprocal trade partnership," according to the spokesperson.
ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
Pigott noted that the top diplomats underscored the "lasting" strength of the alliance, which he said has been "the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific for more than 70 years." (Yonhap)
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