South Korea, US to launch working group for visa system this week: Report

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea and the US will launch a working group this week to address the visa system for South Korean workers, Yonhap News reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic sources.

According to the sources, the two countries will convene the first meeting of a joint working group in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, just weeks after the detention of South Korean workers in Georgia.

In early September, over 300 South Korean workers involved in building a factory in the US state of Georgia were held for a week due to visa-related issues. They were released following diplomatic discussions.

The working group will be spearheaded by South Korea’s Foreign Ministry and the US State Department, with participation also expected from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce, the sources said.

The discussions are anticipated to focus on improving the US visa process for South Korean workers, as South Korean companies continue to undertake major manufacturing projects in the US.

Many of the workers detained in Georgia had entered the US on B1 business visas, intended for activities like attending meetings or signing contracts, or through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which allows short-term stays without a visa.

The two sides are expected to explore the flexible use of the B1 visa. Clarifying what constitutes business purposes under this visa category could help resolve challenges faced by South Korean professionals without requiring changes to existing visa regulations.

Sources also indicated that the idea of establishing a dedicated visa desk at the South Korean Embassy in the US for South Korean investors might be considered.

In July, Seoul and Washington agreed in principle to a deal, under which the US reduced the tariff on imports from South Korea from 25% to 15% in exchange for Seoul’s commitment to invest $350 billion in the US.

Earlier, in an interview with Bloomberg, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on Thursday that without resolving the visa issue, “meaningful progress remains virtually impossible."

"The detention incident dealt a severe blow not only to the general Korean public, but especially to the workers," said Kim.

Both the workers and their families are "understandably reluctant to enter the US again," while the matter remains unsolved, he said, adding that "it will be very difficult for a large number of workers to enter or re-enter the US until this problem is resolved."