The President of South Korea says that Korean companies will hesitate to invest in the United States without a better visa system

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung with US President Donald Trump | Photo credit: Reuters

South Korea President said Thursday that South Korean companies will probably hesitate to maintain or invest directly in the United States if the United States cannot improve its visa system for Korean workers.

President Lee Jae Myung made these comments at a television press conference when he talked about the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers after the September 4 immigration raid in a battery factory under construction at the Hyundai Tratacor Auto Factory in Georgia.

Lee said Korean workers should be brought home on Friday aboard a charter plane.

South Korean and American officials discuss a possible improvement in the American visa system, said Lee, adding that in the current South Korean societies, “cannot help hesitating a lot” of making direct investments in the United States.

That the United States has established a visa system allowing South Korean companies to send skilled workers to work on industrial sites will have a “major impact” on future South Korean investments in the United States, said Lee.

Lee’s press conference was organized to mark its 100 days in power.

Posted on September 11, 2025