Trump offered to let detained Korean workers stay in US but most heading home

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SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump offered to allow hundreds of South Korean workers arrested during an immigration enforcement raid to stay in the United States to train American workers, but only one has opted to remain, South Korean officials said.

Trump’s overture resulted in a one-day delay to the departure of a chartered plane to bring the workers home. It is now scheduled to leave the U.S. later on Thursday.

About 300 South Koreans were arrested last week along with 175 others at the site of the $4.3 billion Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution project to build batteries for electric cars in Georgia.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said at a press conference on Thursday that the departure procedures were halted while officials responded to Trump’s suggestion.

Trump told U.S. officials to “encourage” the workers arrested at the battery plant to remain in the country, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official, adding that Trump suggested they stay to continue to train or educate Americans.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who was in Washington to discuss the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, responded by suggesting the Koreans fly home to recover and then return if they want, the official said.

The White House, the U.S. Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

Cho also said that the workers will not be handcuffed when they are transferred from the detention centre to the airport, Yonhap news agency reported.

U.S. immigration authorities routinely handcuff and shackle immigrants when they are put on deportation flights.

Last week’s raid has sent shockwaves through South Korea and has raised questions among South Korean firms about the viability of doing business in the United States.

Korean businesses have complained about strict U.S. limits on visas for skilled foreign workers, which they say make it difficult for them to quickly send in staff to address the complexities of constructing cutting-edge factories or to train local workers.

(Reporting by Jack Kim, Ju-min Park, Hyunjoo Jin; Additional Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Ed Davies and Edwina Gibbs)