▲ This file photo, taken Jan. 6, 2026, shows the entrance of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources in Sejong, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Korean firms-US visa

Gov't discusses U.S. visa issues with chip, battery firms

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- The government held a meeting with major South Korean chip and battery manufacturers Wednesday to address concerns over entry and stay procedures in the United States amid lingering visa concerns among Korean investors, the industry ministry said.

The meeting, jointly hosted by the industry, foreign and startup ministries in Seoul, was arranged to respond to a rise in dispatches of employees to the U.S., as South Korean firms expand their investments in the battery and semiconductor sectors there.

Participants included representatives from chip giants Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., as well as those from battery manufacturers LG Energy Solution Ltd., Samsung SDI Co. and SK On Co.

During the meeting, government officials shared recent trends in U.S. entry regulations, while company representatives requested improvements in visa issuance and immigration screening procedures.

Officials said they will continue related consultations with U.S. authorities and expand their discussions to other sectors, including automotive and shipbuilding, in the first half of the year.

South Korea and the U.S. launched a visa working group in October to better support the entry of South Korean businesspeople into the U.S. after more than 300 Korean workers were arrested in an immigration raid in Georgia the previous month. The workers were released in about a week through diplomatic negotiations.

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