Flagship airline South Korea Airlines says the plane can depart for Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday.
Released on September 9, 2025
South Korea is planning to send chartered planes on Wednesday to return hundreds of citizens detained in Georgia’s US migrant raid last week, South Korea Airlines said.
South Korea’s flagship airline, South Korea Airlines, operated a flight to Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, to repatriate workers after being arrested at the construction site of a South Korean-operated electric vehicle battery factory.
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“Korea Airlines plans to run a charter flight to Atlanta tomorrow using the Boeing 747-8I,” a company spokesperson said.
The U.S. Immigration Bureau on Thursday detained approximately 475 people locally at $4.3 billion, a joint venture for Hyundai Motor Group LG Energy Solutions in Brian County, Georgia.
About 300 Koreans were wiped out by the attack.
Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), which launched a radical crackdown on fraudulent migration under the direction of US President Donald Trump, said the arrested individuals were found to be working illegally in violation of the terms of their visa.
The attack sparked rage in South Korea, pouring billions of dollars into the US in recent years, ranking Washington’s closest ally in Asia.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who called the detention of his fellow countrymen “a serious situation,” set off for Washington, D.C. on Monday for consultations on the issue.
Cho is expected to seek assurances from US authorities that workers will not face a multi-year ban on the US from re-entry, as typical for those subject to deportation.
On Sunday, Trump issued a warning to foreign companies to “respect” U.S. immigration laws, insisting that foreign investment is welcome.
“What we ask in return is that you hire and train American workers. Together, we all work hard to make our nation not only productive, but we are more united than ever,” Trump said on his true social platform.
