South Korea asks US Congress to support a new visa, workers heading home

FILE PHOTO: Detainees are made to stand against a bus before being handcuffed, during a raid by federal agents where about 300 South Koreans were among 475 people arrested at the site of a $4.3 billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to build batteries for electric cars in Ellabell, Georgia, U.S., September 4, 2025 in a still image taken from a video. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Handout via REUTERS /File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has called for the U.S. Congress to support a new visa for Korean businesses, the ministry said on Friday, as hundreds of Korean workers arrested during a massive immigration raid are heading home.

During his meetings with U.S. senators in Washington, Cho reiterated concerns among South Koreans over the arrests of Korean professionals that participated in investment projects in the U.S., the ministry said in a statement.