Overview

• South Korea says at least 316 of its nationals were released from U.S. custody and placed on a Korean Air charter from Atlanta for voluntary return, with arrival expected Friday.
• Washington and Seoul agreed to create a joint working group to address visa rules, including potential fixes for short‑term technical assignments.
• Authorities allowed departures without restraints after outrage over footage showing detainees in handcuffs and leg shackles during the raid.
• President Trump defended the operation as justified and urged some workers to remain to train Americans, but South Korean officials say only one accepted and the offer delayed the flight by about a day.
• An immigration attorney says many detainees held ESTA or B‑1 entries with detailed letters allowing narrowly defined tasks, intensifying legal disputes and fueling concern over investment and project timelines, including a delayed start at the Hyundai–LG plant.