Korea-US working group over visa system to set sail this week following Georgia detention

This photo shows a sign pointing to the construction site of a battery factory by a joint Hyundai-LG Energy Solution venture in Ga., U.S., Sept. 11. Yonhap

Korea and the United States will launch a working group this week to improve the visa system for Korean workers, the foreign ministry said Monday, weeks after the detention and release of more than 300 Koreans in a recent U.S. immigration raid.

The two nations will hold the inaugural meeting of the working group in Washington on Tuesday (local time), according to the ministry.

"The meeting is aimed at discussing ways to facilitate the entry to the U.S. by (officials from) Korean firms investing in the U.S. and to improve the U.S. visa system," the ministry said.

In early September, more than 300 Korean workers at a battery factory construction site in Georgia were detained for a week over unclear violations of visa rules. They were released after diplomatic negotiations.

The upcoming consultations will be led by Jung Ki-hong, Korea's government representative for Korean nationals overseas protection and consular affairs, and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kevin Kim, the ministry said.

The meeting will be also attended by officials from the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce.

Many of those who were detained in the Georgia raid had arrived in the U.S. on a B1 visa, issued for business purposes, such as attending meetings or signing contracts, or under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver program for short-term stays.