More than 300 South Koreans who were detained in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US state of Georgia last week are due to arrive home on Friday.
Their return comes as the country's president and Hyundai's chief executive have warned about the impact of the raid.
A chartered Korean Air jet carrying the workers and 14 non-Koreans who were also detained in the raid took off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at midday local time on Thursday (17:00 BST). One South Korean national has reportedly chosen to stay in the US to seek permanent residency.
The plane is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport at around 15:30 Seoul time (07:30 BST).
The departure was delayed by more than a day because of an instruction from the White House, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday.
President Donald Trump ordered the pause to check whether the workers were willing to remain in the US to continue working and training Americans, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official.
Lee also stated that companies would be very hesitant about investing in the US following the raid. He added, The situation is extremely bewildering, emphasizing the common practice among Korean firms to send workers to assist in establishing overseas factories.
If such practices are curtailed, he suggested it would become increasingly difficult for companies to justify investing in manufacturing facilities in the US.
Seoul is currently negotiating with Washington on visa options for South Korean workers, with discussions focusing on whether to secure higher quotas or create new visa categories. The South Korean foreign ministry has also called upon the US Congress to support a new visa for Korean firms.
During meetings with US senators in Washington this week, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reiterated concerns among South Koreans regarding the arrests, as Hyundai's chief executive, José Muñoz, indicated that the raid would delay the factory's opening significantly.
Last week, US officials detained a total of 475 individuals, with more than 300 being South Korean nationals, alleging they were working illegally at the battery facility, which represents one of the biggest foreign investment projects in Georgia.
LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant in collaboration with Hyundai, asserted that many of its detained employees held various types of visas or were under a visa waiver program.
As South Korea and the US engage in sensitive trade talks, the timing of the raid has raised significant concerns. The White House has defended the operation at the Hyundai plant, arguing that it would not deter foreign investment in the country.
On Sunday, US President Trump referenced the raid in a social media post, encouraging foreign companies to hire Americans, while assuring that it would become quickly and legally possible for foreign firms to bring workers into the country if they adhered to American immigration laws.
