South Korea, US to hold business visa talks on Tuesday, ministry says

29/9/2025 17:19

South Korea and the United States will meet for their first working group discussions on visa systems for Korean companies operating in the U.S. on Tuesday, Seoul's foreign ministry said.



The talks are designed to improve U.S. visa programmes for South Korean businesses there in the aftermath of a massive raid that led to the arrests of hundreds of South Korean workers at a Hyundai Motor car battery facility under construction in Georgia earlier this month.



Wi Sung-lac, South Korea's top national security adviser, said on Monday the country would resolve the visa issues as quickly as possible to create a better environment for Korean investments in the United States.



South Korean companies have become major investors in the U.S., building factories that often require highly technical skill sets that are not easy to find in the United States.



But unlike some countries such as Australia, Canada and Mexico, South Koreans do not have access to special treaty work visas.



Instead, workers from South Korean companies have used visa waiver programmes or temporary visas for some business-related activities.