South Korean workers detained by ICE return home after saga that has rattled close US friendship

More than 300 South Korean workers detained by immigration authorities in Georgia last week arrived home on Friday, marking the end of a saga that has stunned their nation and threatened to upend a close bilateral friendship between the US and South Korea.

The workers arrived at Seoul’s international airport after departing from Atlanta. A small crowd awaited their arrival – with one member putting up a tall banner that depicted an ICE agent carrying a gun and chain, and wearing a mask of US President Donald Trump’s face. “We ’re friends! Aren’t we?” the banner read.

Then came tearful reunions between the workers and their loved ones, who had anxiously awaited their return. One mother, who CNN is identifying only by her surname Park, said she hadn’t been able to reach her son at all after his detention.

It’s likely been a week of confusion and fear for the workers, who were chained up during the raid and held for days in detention.

South Korea and the US have been staunch allies since the end of the Korean War in 1953 and have stepped up cooperation in recent years, drawing closer in a joint effort to combat Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. South Korea is also home to the US military’s largest overseas base, which houses 41,000 people including troops and their families.

So images of skilled workers being handcuffed and shackled by ICE agents have outraged many in South Korea and raised questions over the economic partnership that had led these detained workers to the US in the first place – a partnership Trump himself has encouraged.

Given Trump’s personal involvement in seeking greater Korean investment, many were stunned when ICE raided the battery plant co-owned by Hyundai and LG in Georgia.

Immigration authorities claimed many had entered illegally or overstayed their visas, but lawyers for some of the detained workers insist their clients were legally working on the Georgia site, including on visa waivers that allow them to advise and consult.

It’s also not clear whether these workers will be allowed back to continue working, what the future of Korean investment in the US may look like, or what will become of the Hyundai plant.

Source : https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/12/asia/south-korea-workers-return-georgia-raid-intl-hnk

Comprehension

How many South Korean workers were detained in Georgia?
Where did the workers return to after being detained?
What was written on the banner at the airport?
How did families react when they saw their loved ones again?
How were the workers treated during the raid?
Since when have South Korea and the US been close allies?
Why were South Koreans shocked by the treatment of the workers?
What did immigration authorities claim about the workers’ visas?

Discussion

How do you think the workers felt during their detention in the US?
Should immigration authorities treat foreign workers differently if they are from allied nations? Why or why not?
Do you think the US should apologize to South Korea for this incident?
How might this event affect future business partnerships between the US and Korea?
What responsibilities do companies like Hyundai and LG have to protect their workers abroad?
How should governments balance immigration control with international cooperation?
If you were one of the workers, what would you want your government to do for you?
What can countries do to prevent misunderstandings about work visas in the future?
Do you think strong political alliances should protect workers from harsh treatment? Why or why not?
How would you feel if this happened to workers from your own country in a foreign land?

Vocabulary

Detained – kept in custody by authorities, not allowed to leave.
Saga – a long, complicated story or series of events.
Banner – a large sign or piece of cloth with a message.
Reunion – the act of coming together again after being apart.
Detention – the state of being held by authorities.
Staunch – very loyal or committed.
Outraged – extremely angry or shocked.
Visa waiver – special permission that allows people to enter a country without a visa for a short period.