Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Friday in Seoul that he had spoken directly with US President Donald Trump to stress the need for a manufacturing-specific 90-day visa program that would allow smoother entry into the US for skilled Korean workers and engineers involved in plant construction and equipment installation.
Kemp said Trump “understands well the importance of ensuring smooth entry and stable working conditions for skilled Korean personnel,” and expressed hope that bilateral discussions on visa improvements would advance further, strengthening economic cooperation between Korea and Georgia.
The remark came as Cho raised concerns over the recent mass detention of Korean nationals in Georgia and urged the governor to ensure such incidents do not happen again.
He emphasized that facilitating the entry and business operations of Korean corporate staff and skilled workers would ultimately benefit both Georgia and South Korean investors, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Cho also called for Kemp’s support in ongoing discussions between Seoul and Washington on improving visa regulations to ease the entry of skilled professionals.
In response, Kemp said he would do everything within his authority as governor to prevent a recurrence of such “unfortunate incidents.”
Kemp visited Seoul this week to meet with South Korean industry and government officials. The trip came about a month after more than 300 South Korean workers at an electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia were arrested and detained in a US immigration raid.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
