Seoul open to working with Russia on North Korean issues, says Cho
The swift resolution of the US visa bottleneck for South Korean workers is a “critical issue of substance” for South Korea’s US-bound investments, though not a precondition, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Friday.
Seoul and Washington have been in consultations on how to address the shortage of US work visas, a mismatch with the massive inflow of South Korean investment into the US.
The visa bottleneck has come into sharper focus following the detention of 317 South Korean workers during the Sept. 4 immigration raid at an EV battery plant being built in by HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, in Georgia.
Cho said the mass arrest of South Korean nationals working in Georgia was caused by a “longstanding” visa challenge, which has remained “intractable to resolve.”
“This is not a precondition for Korea’s investment in the US. But because it is a critical issue of substance, I intend to do my utmost to ensure that the visa problem is resolved in some way before the investments actually begin," Cho said in Korean at a press briefing for foreign media based in Seoul.
Cho further explained that Seoul would provide detailed, case-by-case explanations for the immediate dispatch of workers from Korean companies to the US, as an interim measure to prevent a recurrence of the Georgia raid.
"In the long term, we plan to swiftly consult through the working group on issues such as creating a new visa category to resolve such problems, reaching a Korea–US agreement related to visas, or establishing a special visa desk for businesspeople at the US Embassy in Seoul as a more convenient method,” Cho said.
Most of the detained Korean workers had entered the US on nonimmigrant short-term business visas — either B-1 visas or Electronic System for Travel Authorization permits — which are intended for brief business visits rather than employment.
South Korean companies see the lack of appropriate US work visa options for their employees as the fundamental reason they resort to using the visas they do — despite the inevitable increase in dispatching South Korean workers in tandem with growing US-bound investments.
South Korea become the largest foreign investor in the US in 2023, with $21.5 billion invested. In addition, the Lee Jae Myung administration has pledged $350 billion in additional investment under a new trade framework signed in July, while South Korean companies separately committed $150 billion in US investments at the Aug. 25 summit in Washington.
Speaking at the briefing, Cho underscored that the South Korean government is soon to commence its own investigation into the human rights situation during the arrest and detention of Korean workers.
Since a total of 316 South Koreans returned home on Sept. 12, testimonies have poured in alleging abusive conditions at detention facilities in Georgia, including human rights violations and racist remarks by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials directed at the Korean detainees.
“The government must investigate human rights violations with due concern, as they concern the rights of Korean citizens. We are now just beginning to investigate what violations occurred,” Cho said. “It is the government’s obligation to investigate whenever the protection and rights of Korean citizens are infringed.”
The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday that it plans to immediately launch a joint, full-scale investigation — together with the Justice Ministry and the companies involved — into potential human rights violations of South Korean detainees.
However, Cho brushed off concerns when asked whether the current “perfect storm” between Seoul and Washington could reignite anti-US sentiment.
“My quick answer is that it is very serious. Nevertheless, I'm not concerned about the rise of anti-American sentiment in Korea,” Cho said, delivering this part in English during the press briefing.
Cho also disclosed that the Lee administration intends to work with Russia on North Korean issues, emphasizing that its “top priority is to swiftly reduce military tensions and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
“Therefore, we will make diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and establish peace, while engaging in dialogue with North Korea by harnessing all available diplomatic means,” Cho said. “If Russia can play a role to that end, I believe we can, of course, consult with Russia.”
Cho candidly admitted the limitations in diplomatic ties between Seoul and Moscow, saying, “However, at the current stage, it is a bit burdensome to proceed with the restoration of official diplomacy with Russia.”
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
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