Key Points
- LG Energy Solution is resuming business trips to the United States for its employees.
- The decision follows the resolution of a visa dispute between the U.S. and South Korea.
- Last month, hundreds of South Korean workers were arrested at an LG plant construction site in the U.S.
- The U.S. has now agreed to allow the workers to perform their duties under their existing visas.
South Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution announced Thursday that it will resume sending its employees on business trips to the United States. The move comes just one day after the two countries reached an agreement to resolve a visa dispute that had led to the arrest of hundreds of South Korean workers last month.
LG said it will restart travel after the upcoming Chuseok holiday, beginning with its key personnel. The decision marks a quick return to normal operations following a tense period for the company.
The dispute came to a head last month when U.S. immigration officials raided the construction site of a new LG battery plant, a joint project with Hyundai Motor. Hundreds of South Korean workers were arrested during the raid, sparking a diplomatic scramble. The workers were eventually released after a week of negotiations between the U.S. and South Korean governments.
The core of the issue was whether South Korean workers were permitted to work on U.S. equipment sites under their temporary visas. On Wednesday, the U.S. agreed to a resolution that will now allow it to do so.
This agreement has quickly cleared the way for LG to resume work on its major U.S. projects, which are a critical part of the global push toward electric vehicles.
