By Anadolu staff
The US expressed “deep regret” on Sunday over the detention of hundreds of South Korean workers during an immigration raid in Georgia earlier this month, Yonhap news reported, citing South Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau conveyed the apology during talks in Seoul with First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo.
More than 300 South Korean workers were detained in the raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. The workers were released after a week in detention and returned home Friday.
US authorities had claimed many workers held in the raid had entered illegally or overstayed their visas.
Landau said the incident should be seen as an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral ties and improve relevant systems. He added that US President Donald Trump has shown "high interest" in the matter and ensured that the workers will face no disadvantages when reentering the US.
He said Washington would work to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Park told Landau that the workers had faced serious inconveniences in detention and said the crackdown left them and the wider South Korean public deeply shocked.
Park urged Washington to take concrete steps and systemic measures to ease public concerns in South Korea.
The two countries are now said to be looking at establishing a working group to consider a new type of visa for Koreans.
*Writing by Aamir Latif