President Donald Trump offered to let detained South Korean nationals working at a Hyundai factory in Georgia stay in the United States and train American workers, Seoul officials said on Thursday, as the Korean workers were ultimately on their way back to their native country.
Over 300 Koreans were released from detention on Thursday as part of the repatriation process. They are scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Friday.
The detained nationals were set to leave the U.S. in a charter plane on Wednesday, but discussions between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held up their departure.
Trump reportedly delayed their release because he wanted to explore the prospect of letting the Koreans stay because they are all skilled workers who can then train Americans on the job, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, according to the Washington Post.
Cho said South Korea wanted to bring its citizens home, noting they could return to the U.S. in the future if the Trump administration wishes. Rubio agreed to that proposition.
Last week, federal agents apprehended 475 employees at a Hyundai electric vehicle manufacturing site near Savannah, Georgia, in the Trump administration’s largest immigration enforcement operation at a worksite to date. Of the detainees, 316 people were from South Korea.
The $7.6 billion Hyundai plant began production in October 2024 and aims to employ 8,500 workers, according to the facility’s website. It currently employs over 1,300 people.
Trump previously offered to expedite visas for foreign workers if companies investing in the U.S. agree to hire and train American workers.
“Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday. “What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers.”
Over a week before the immigration raid at the Georgia factory, Hyundai raised its U.S. investments from $21 billion to $26 billion through 2028. The announcement came on the same day that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited Trump at the White House.
In a Thursday press conference, Lee warned that the raid could make South Korean companies reconsider investing in the U.S.
“I think this will have a significant impact on direct investments in the United States moving forward,” Lee said.
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Lee revealed the U.S. and South Korea are discussing how to change the visa system in order to allow foreign employees to work in the U.S. for longer periods of time. South Korean companies provided skilled workers with temporary visa waivers or short-term business visas to work in their factories.
The Trump administration also gave the South Korean detainees the choice to continue living in the U.S., Lee said. At least one person chose to stay with their family.
