S. Korea, US launch working group to address visa issues for skilled Korean workers

WASHINGTON — South Korea and the United States launched a bilateral working group in Washington on Tuesday to address visa-related issues for skilled Korean workers, after the detention of Korean workers in a recent U.S. immigration raid raised questions over the U.S.' credibility as an investment partner. The inaugural meeting of the South Korea-U.S. "Business Travel and Visa Working Group" was convened, the State Department said, after more than 310 Korean nationals were arrested in the Sept. 4 raid at a plant construction site for a joint Hyundai-LG Energy Solution venture. They were released later. At the meeting, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau emphasized the "critical" role of skilled personnel in ensuring the success of foreign investments, reaffirming the U.S.' commitment to "welcome and encourage" investment, particularly from South Korea, according to the department. The department said that the U.S. government is working closely with South Korea to advance the bilateral trade and investment partnership, including by "processing appropriate visas for qualifWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times