Overview

• Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said meaningful progress on U.S.-based investments is virtually impossible until Washington provides a concrete solution for visas used by South Korean workers.
• He noted that many specialists are reluctant to enter or re-enter the United States without safety assurances following the Georgia enforcement action.
• The visa dispute stems from a raid at a Hyundai–LG battery construction site in Georgia where hundreds of South Koreans were detained, then released and flown home about a week later as images of shackled workers fueled public anger.
• Seoul and Washington are working on visa revisions as they negotiate a broader deal that includes a 15 percent tariff framework and the structure of a US$350 billion investment package.
• Kim said any arrangement that imposes a significant fiscal burden may require parliamentary approval and warned delays could complicate an expected meeting between President Lee and President Trump during the APEC gathering in Gyeongju.