Customs agents binding chains on hands and legs. Yonhap News. 

The South Korean government has begun consular visits to check on the health status and other conditions of Korean company employees detained by U.S. immigration authorities.

According to an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' on-site task force, a consul from the Consulate General of South Korea in Atlanta started meeting with the detained Koreans at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Folkston, Georgia, on the morning of September 6 (local time).

"During the consular visits, we are fundamentally checking for any humanitarian issues or discomfort and requesting that the U.S. side prevent such problems from arising," the official stated.

It is understood that most of the approximately 300 Koreans arrested on September 4 at the construction site of the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution joint battery plant (HL-GA battery company) in Savannah, Georgia, are currently being held at the Folkston detention center.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an on-site task force in Savannah, led by Consul General Cho Ki-jung in Washington, to strengthen on-site response.

The on-site task force plans to interview all 300 individuals as quickly as possible and assess whether they have any health issues or require assistance.

Immigration authorities detain individuals arrested on suspicion of illegal immigration and other offenses in detention centers while they investigate their immigration status and determine future actions.

It is understood that the government is focusing on securing the release of the Koreans, as the investigation process may be prolonged, prioritizing their immediate release over the later determination of their legal status.

Yonhap News