South Korean plane departs for US to bring back workers detained in immigration raid: Report

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - A chartered South Korean plane departed for the US on Wednesday to bring home hundreds of South Koreans detained in a recent immigration crackdown in Georgia, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Flight KE2901 left Incheon International Airport, about 60 kilometers (nearly 37 miles) west of Seoul, at 10.21 am (0121GMT) on route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

According to the news agency, the plane, with 368 seats, will be carrying around 300 South Koreans detained during a US immigration operation at a battery plant construction site in Bryan County, run by a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.

The flight is expected to return to Korea on Thursday afternoon.

Seoul and Washington have finalized arrangements for the detainees' departure, with most set to return voluntarily instead of being deported, according to the consul general at the Korean Embassy in Washington.

On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in Washington for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the detention of South Korean workers and potential improvements to work visa programs for South Korean businesses.

Earlier on Sunday, South Korea's presidential office said that a chartered plane would fly to the US to bring the detained workers back home after concluding consultations with Washington to resolve the matter.