Detained Koreans' return to Korea is suddenly postponed due to "circumstances on the U.S. side"... The reason and the schedule are silent

The return schedule of about 300 Koreans detained in a crackdown by U.S. immigration authorities was postponed due to circumstances on the U.S. side. The specific reason for the delay in the schedule is unknown, but delays in administrative procedures on the U.S. side, the manner in which detainees leave the country, and the postponement of the Foreign Minister's meeting are cited as possible reasons.
 

On the 10th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press notice, "It has become difficult for our nationals detained in the U.S. state of Georgia to depart on the 10th local time due to circumstances on the U.S. side," and "we are maintaining discussions with the U.S. to ensure departure as soon as possible." However, no specific reason or expected schedule for the postponement was mentioned.

It was reported that the Koreans detained in the U.S. state of Georgia were initially released around 4-5 am (local time) on the 10th, then departed Atlanta International Airport via a Korean Air charter flight around 2:30 pm on the same day and arrived at Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 11th (Korean time). The Korean Air charter flight departed from Incheon International Airport to Atlanta on the morning of the 10th. However, about 10 hours before the expected departure time from the United States, the return schedule for the detainees was suddenly postponed.

Some believe that the reason for the delay may be the delay in the release of Korean detainees due to incomplete administrative procedures such as visa investigation and confirmation procedures by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Kim Ji-sun, CEO of Daeyang Immigration Corporation, said on the premise that "it is only an expectation and an estimate" and that "there are administrative procedures for voluntary departure, and for this, permission from a judge is required in the United States as well." He went on to point out, “In principle, you have to spend money to proceed with this (departure procedure) and you may have to pay a deposit to the court,” and added, “There is no need to rush from the U.S. perspective, and the U.S. administrative procedures themselves are not fast.”

There is also speculation that immigration authorities' law enforcement practices, such as whether to tie up detainees during transportation within U.S. territory, may have been an obstacle to negotiations. Previously, Kim Yong-beom, head of the Presidential Office's policy office, said on the 9th that negotiations were underway regarding transportation between the detention site and the Atlanta airport.

Some raise the possibility that negotiations between South Korea and the United States regarding the mode of departure of Korean detainees may not have been completed. After consultation with the United States, the government planned to return Korean detainees en masse in the form of 'voluntary departure'. In this regard, the release of detainees may have been disrupted due to lack of smooth negotiations with the United States. Mia Kim, a U.S. attorney at the Daeryun Law Firm, said, "I believe there will be a difference from the Korean government's position in that the U.S. cannot uniformly apply (voluntary departure method) because there are some (among the detainees) who are subject to deportation." Secretary of Homeland Security Christie Norm, who oversees U.S. immigration policy, said on the 8th that those detained in the Georgia raid "will be deported."

There is also speculation that the one-day delay in the meeting between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who is visiting the United States, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may have affected the return schedule. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, Minister Cho, who arrived in Washington DC on the night of the 8th (local time), originally planned to meet with Secretary Rubio on the 9th to demand a prompt response from the US to resolve this situation, legislation to establish a new employment visa (E-4) exclusively for Koreans, and expansion of the quota for professional employment visas (H-1B), but the meeting between the two ministers was delayed by a day. However, there is a view that the schedule delay may have been due to Secretary Rubio having to respond due to the Israeli military's airstrike on Qatar.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 10th, Minister Cho held a meeting with Korean business representatives in Washington D.C. on the 9th and said, "The government is making all efforts as a top priority to quickly and safely return our citizens detained in Georgia and to ensure that they do not face disadvantages when re-entering the United States in the future." Representatives of companies such as LG and Hyundai Motors who attended the meeting requested the government's efforts to establish a separate visa (E-4 visa) quota for Korean professionals and increase the approval rate for visas (E-2 visas) for employees of companies investing in the United States.

Reporter Jeong Hye-in (chimt@mt.co.kr)

Reporter Park Jin-ho (zzino@mt.co.kr)

[View full article]
Detention of Koreans suddenly postponed due to "circumstances on the U.S. side"... Silence on the reason and schedule (Shortcut)