Lee urges US lawmakers to reform visa system, citing worker detention case

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in New York, Monday (local time). Joint Press Corps

NEW YORK CITY — President Lee Jae Myung called for changes to U.S. visa policies to prevent incidents like the recent detention of Korean workers in Georgia, during a meeting with members of Congress.

On Monday, the presidential office said Lee met with four lawmakers from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee — Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.).

The discussions covered ways to strengthen bilateral security, expand economic cooperation and address challenges on the Korean Peninsula. Lee expressed hope that incidents like the detention of Korean workers in Georgia would not be repeated, emphasizing the need for visa reforms. The U.S. lawmakers acknowledged the importance of improvement to the system.

Following a major immigration raid at the construction site of a Hyundai-LG plant in Georgia, the detainment of hundreds of Korean workers sparked diplomatic tensions. U.S. immigration authorities accused the workers of violating the terms of their B-1 business visas or visa waiver permits, which allow for business visits but not manual labor. Korean officials argued that many of the workers were skilled technicians on short-term visas, essential for setting up the plant, and were treated unfairly.

The U.S. lawmakers also voiced support for the “Partner with Korea Act,” noting that progress on visa reform could help move the legislation forward in Congress. The bipartisan, bicameral makeup of the delegation was highlighted as a sign of strong congressional backing for the Korea-U.S. alliance.

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in New York, Monday (local time). Joint Press Corps

They also pledged to continue supporting cooperation between the two countries in key industries, such as shipbuilding, biotechnology and defense, building on the momentum of last month’s Korea-U.S. summit.

On trade matters, President Lee acknowledged concerns over potential instability in Korea’s foreign exchange market amid tariff negotiations, but expressed confidence that both sides would reach a “commercially reasonable” solution.

The presidential office said Lee urged the U.S. lawmakers to maintain congressional focus and support so that Korea and the United States can pursue deeper, future-oriented cooperation. The discussions also covered ways to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance, expand economic ties and address challenges on the Korean Peninsula.