South Korean companies have routinely used unsuitable visas for workers sent to the US to build multibillion-dollar advanced manufacturing sites, according to Seoul-based executives and industry groups.
The admission comes after a dramatic raid last week by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a battery plant being built by Hyundai and LG in Ellabell in Georgia, which led to the detention of 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals.
Several people familiar with Korean conglomerates in the US said it was an “open secret” that they and their subcontractors used the B-1 visa, which allows entry to the US for business purposes but does not allow the holder to work for payment, as well as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system that facilitates short-term business visits.