US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has expressed regret over the recent mass detention of South Korean workers in the United States and pledged efforts to prevent similar incidents.

Landau, who met South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo in Seoul on Sunday, conveyed his “deep regrets” regarding the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers during an immigration crackdown earlier this month at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia. The plant is a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.

According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, Landau assured that US President Donald Trump is closely following the matter and that workers returning home would face no disadvantages in reentering the US. “Washington will work to ensure there are no further incidents of this nature,” Landau said, proposing working-level talks on proper visa issuance for South Korean employees.

The crackdown had seen 316 workers detained for a week before being repatriated on Friday. Most had entered on short-term business visas (B-1) or under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which are not valid for long-term employment.

Park highlighted the shock and inconvenience caused by the detentions, urging the US to adopt “practical steps and systematic improvements” to ease public concerns in South Korea. The Ministry noted that the incident has sparked wider debate about visa challenges faced by South Korean firms investing in the US.

South Korea is America’s largest foreign investor, with $21.5 billion invested in 2023. Seoul has pledged $350 billion in additional commitments under a new trade framework, but only around 2,000 South Koreans annually secure H-1B specialty visas out of 85,000 issued.