South Korean President Urges US to Revamp Visa System for Investments

Tue Oct 21 2025 02:13:24 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

After a major immigration raid in Georgia, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung calls for improvements in the U.S. visa system to encourage investment from Korean companies.

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung highlighted the hesitation of Korean companies to invest in the U.S. following an immigration raid that led to the detention of over 300 workers. He emphasized the need for a better visa system to facilitate the movement of skilled labor, aiming to avoid economic setbacks for both countries. The U.S. has agreed to discuss creating a new visa category to facilitate this process.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung stated on Thursday that Korean firms may hold back on investments in the U.S. unless improvements are made to the U.S. visa system for their employees, especially after a recent immigration raid in Georgia.

During a news conference marking his first 100 days in office, President Lee addressed the situation following a September 4 raid that led to the arrest of over 300 South Korean workers at a Hyundai battery factory under construction.

U.S. authorities have released the detained workers but the incident ignited widespread anger in South Korea and raised concerns about investment hesitation from Korean companies. Lee noted that enhancing the visa system is crucial for attracting further investments.

He remarked, “We need technicians to build factories, yet the U.S. doesn’t have the workforce needed and wont issue the necessary visas.”

In light of the raid, lawmakers have condemned the U.S. actions, likening the raid to a 'rabbit hunt', suggesting it was overly aggressive amidst a push to meet immigration enforcement targets.

Following discussions with U.S. officials, both countries have agreed to form a working group to address visa issues, and there’s hope for a new visa category specifically aimed at facilitating South Korean businesses sending skilled staff to the U.S.

South Korean companies currently rely mostly on temporary visas for workers, which may now be questioned due to recent events. Without a resolution to the visa situation, industry experts warn it would disrupt many ongoing projects and hurt both economies.