South Korea sends plane to fetch detained workers from US / Photo: HANDOUT - US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/AFP/File
-
Europe reacts to Hungarian leader Orban's electoral defeat
-
Rose frustrated by latest Masters near-miss
-
Scheffler left ruing slow start after Masters record bid falls short
-
Runoff looms as Fujimori leads troubled Peru vote
-
Spain's Sanchez seeks closer China ties amid strains with US
-
Karol G to dance her 'Tropicoqueta' at Coachella
-
McIlroy wins second Masters in a row for sixth major title
-
Orban loses Hungary vote to pro-Europe newcomer after 16 yrs in power
-
Lebanon PM says working to get Israeli troop withdrawal
-
Easter truce between Ukraine and Russia ends
-
Villarreal add to Athletic misery, Oviedo survival hopes boosted
-
Peter Magyar: former govt insider promising system change
-
Inter close in on Serie A title after comeback triumph at Como
-
Exit stage right: Hungary's Orban 16-year rule draws to an end
-
Rose fights for Masters win with McIlroy, Young in hunt
-
Orban concedes 'painful' defeat to conservative Magyar in Hungary polls
-
Garcia warned after Masters meltdown
-
Delays mar vote as crisis-hit Peru picks ninth president in decade
-
Irish government announces tax cuts after fuel cost protests
-
Salt and Kohli in the runs as Bengaluru beat Mumbai in IPL
-
Rosenior admits Chelsea in 'difficult place'
-
Man City must respect Arsenal in title showdown: Guardiola
-
McIlroy begins Masters final round as repeat drama looms
-
Sinner sinks Alcaraz to win Monte Carlo Masters, returns to No.1
-
Stuttgart hammer Hamburg to go third in Bundesliga
-
De Zerbi suffers debut defeat as Spurs crisis deepens, City rampant
-
Delays mar voting as crisis-hit Peru picks ninth president in decade
-
Man City rout Chelsea to close gap on leaders Arsenal
-
Lille ease back into third in Ligue 1 with Toulouse win
-
After unsuccessful US-Iran talks, what next for Trump?
-
Galactic 'Super Mario' rules N. America box office for second week
-
Koch pips Vos to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes
-
Trump orders US Navy to block Hormuz Strait after Iran talks fail
-
Spurs win would 'change everything': De Zerbi
-
Holders Bordeaux-Begles see off Toulouse to reach Champions Cup semis
-
De Zerbi suffers debut defeat as Spurs crisis deepens
-
Sinner beats Alcaraz to win Monte Carlo Masters, returns to No.1
-
'No other way': Mideast prepares for more fighting as talks fail
-
Napoli draw at Parma gives Inter chance to put one hand on Serie A title
-
At US-Iran talks, Pakistan's field marshal takes centre stage
-
Spurs rue bad luck as relegation fears deepen
-
Napoli's title defence dented by draw at Parma
-
Andreeva opens clay court season with title in Linz
-
Van Aert finally wins Paris-Roubaix cycling Monument
-
Trump orders US Navy to block Hormuz after Iran talks fail
-
France scrum-half Lucu extends Bordeaux deal to 2029
-
McIlroy fights for repeat as last-round Masters drama begins
-
Buttler keeps form as Gujarat ease past Lucknow in IPL
-
Trump orders US naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz
-
Polls open as Peru picks ninth president in a decade
South Korea sends plane to fetch detained workers from US
A chartered plane departed Seoul for the United States Wednesday to repatriate hundreds of South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid, flag carrier Korean Air told AFP.
South Koreans made up the majority of people arrested at a Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in the US state of Georgia last week, according to immigration agents.
The operation was the largest single-site raid conducted under US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, according to an investigating agent.
A Korean Air Boeing 747-8I, which seats over 350 passengers, left from Seoul Wednesday, a company representative told AFP.
"The chartered plane left around 10:20 am for the US," said the spokeswoman.
"A timeline for the return flight has not been finalised," she added.
Local media broadcast footage showing what they described as the chartered plane taking off from Incheon International Airport.
Citing diplomatic sources, Yonhap news agency reported that the plane would leave the United States with the workers at 3:30 am Thursday (1830 GMT Wednesday).
Seoul's foreign minister Cho Hyun headed to Washington on Monday for further talks, calling the mass detention of South Koreans a "grave situation" and pledging to secure the workers' swift return "in good health".
Before departing, Cho told South Korean MPs that "a tentative agreement" had been reached with US authorities to ensure the detained workers would not face penalties, such as a five-year ban on re-entry.
"I can tell you that negotiations are going well," he said.
In addition to being a key US security ally, South Korea is Asia's fourth-biggest economy and a major automaker and electronics producer, and its companies have multiple plants in the United States.
Seoul has also heeded Washington's repeated call during tariff negotiations for global investment in the United States.
The site of the raid is a $4.3 billion joint venture between two South Korean firms –- Hyundai and LG Energy Solution –- to build a battery cell manufacturing facility in Georgia.
Experts said most of the detained South Korean workers were likely to hold visas that do not allow for hands-on construction work.
Y.Nakamura--AMWN