South Korea to fly detained workers back as U.S. vows more raids on employers

South Korea is moving to pick up Korean workers following a raid in the U.S. state of Georgia last week, a presidential official for Seoul said on Sunday as the Trump administration promised more raids on businesses.

The negotiations to release about 300 South Koreans who were detained have concluded and processing for their release from custody is ongoing, South Korea's presidential office said late on Sunday.

A chartered plane will be flown to bring them back as soon as the processing by the two countries is complete, the office said in a statement. It did not provide details of what administrative steps are being taken.

The Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Consul General in Washington Cho Ki-joong as saying the workers will likely board a plane on Wednesday.

Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not respond to a request for comment, while White House border czar Tom Homan separately vowed to expand immigration raids on workplaces.

U.S. federal agents arrested about 475 workers at Hyundai's car battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, on Thursday in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the DHS's investigative operations.

U.S. President Donald Trump campaigned on making immigration a pillar of his administration and has moved to ramp up deportations nationwide since taking office in January. He has also buttressed his economic plan in large part on wooing other countries and foreign businesses to invest in the United States.

The roundup of 475 workers including about 300 South Korean workers at the major Hyundai Motor car battery plant under construction caused shock and dismay in Seoul, as it came just 10 days after a summit between the U.S. and South Korean presidents where they pledged closer business ties.

The South Korean government expressed regret about the arrests and the public release of the footage showing a major operation by U.S. immigration authorities involving armored vehicles detaining the workers who were shackled and taken in.

The DHS earlier said the operation was executed under a judicial search warrant over alleged unlawful employment practices. A customs official has said many of those arrested did not have proper immigration authorization to work at the site.