Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. to meet Wednesday over Koreans detained in immigration raid

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun plans to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday, a day later than initially planned, with their agenda expected to focus on hundreds of South Koreans detained in a recent U.S. immigration crackdown in Georgia.

The South Korean Embassy in the U.S. capital said Cho and Rubio will meet at 9:30 a.m. (local time) on the day the Koreans are set to head back home aboard a chartered plane in the form of "voluntary departure" rather than deportation.

More than 300 Koreans were arrested in Thursday's raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site for a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County. U.S. authorities said they were found to be working illegally in the United States, including those on short-term visas that bar them from working.

During talks with Rubio, Cho is expected to ask for U.S. cooperation in ensuring that the Koreans arrested in the raid will not face any disadvantages, including potential restrictions on their future entry into the U.S.

The minister could also stress the need for the U.S. to create a new work visa or assign visa quotas for skilled Korean workers to ensure Korean enterprises can conduct their investment and business activities in the U.S. in a stable manner.

It remains unclear why the top diplomats' meeting, initially planned for Tuesday, has been rescheduled for Wednesday.

In July, Seoul's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac visited the U.S. for talks with Rubio, but could not meet him face to face. The two sides later held a phone conversation.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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