Official: South Korean workers detained in Georgia to be returned to country

South Korean workers detained during a massive immigration raid in Georgia Thursday will be returned to South Korea on a chartered flight following negotiations, an official announced Sunday.

“Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded, after swift responses by the relevant ministries, business agencies, and companies,” said South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. “However, some administrative procedures remain, and once they’re completed, a chartered plane will depart to bring back our citizens,” he added.

The workers were among 475 detained Thursday during a large-scale immigration raid at the Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia, which houses an electric vehicle battery plant jointly operated by South Korea-based companies Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. About 300 of those detained are South Korean, officials said.

This as President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly preparing to travel to South Korea in October for the gathering of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers, three Trump administration officials told CNN.

The summit, set to be held in the city of Gyeongju between late October and early November, is viewed as a key opportunity for Trump to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The officials said there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC, but no firm plans are in place. In a phone call last month, Xi invited Trump and his wife to visit China, an invitation the US president reciprocated, though no dates have been set.

Trump’s presence in the region could also put him in a position to sit down once again with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, though whether Kim attends is still a question. Officials say more attention is being placed on organizing a potential meeting with Xi.

CNN's Mike Valerio reports from Seoul and CNN's Alayna Treene reports from the White House. #cnn #News