US is not the partner that engaged in good cooperation with allies it once was, Korea’s top diplomat saysForeign Minister Cho Hyun suggested that the US no longer cooperates with allies and friendly nations in the way it once did
Addressing the arrest and detainment of hundreds of Koreans in an immigration raid in Georgia, South Korea’s top diplomat said he had gotten the sense that the America of today is not what it once was.
“I am coming to terms with the fact that the US of the past, which engaged in really good cooperation with allies and friendly nations, is not the US of today,” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said in response to Democratic Party lawmaker Lee In-young pointing to public outrage at the fact that Korea’s longtime ally had arrested Korean workers.
Cho’s comments came during an appearance before the National Assembly to take questions on the Lee Jae Myung administration’s policies pertaining to foreign affairs, unification, and national security.
“The US is aggressively responding to longstanding visa issues. We are also exerting pressure, so I think this incident will serve as a catalyst for resolving visa issues going forward,” the foreign minister went on to say, suggesting that the current crisis could be an opportunity in disguise.
During his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cho negotiated on behalf of the Koreans who were deported so that they would not experience any obstacles when reentering the US. When a lawmaker questioned Cho about any mentions of illegal sojourn going on the workers’ immigration records, even if their departure from the US is not specifically recorded as a deportation, Cho responded, “We made a deal so that no record of any kind will remain.”
The Lee administration is also planning on conducting a widespread investigation into potential human rights abuses that occurred while the Korean workers were under detention.
“Regarding the investigation into potential human rights infringements involving our citizens who were detained in the US state of Georgia, a joint investigation involving the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the private firms involved will begin immediately,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said, adding that the ministry was currently in talks with the leaders of the companies involved.
A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official told the Hankyoreh that the concrete details of how the investigation would be carried out would need to be worked out with the CEOs of the companies involved.
“I expect we’ll begin as soon as preparations are made,” the official said.
The Lee administration is planning to lodge protests via diplomatic channels regarding any infringements that are found and confirmed during the investigation.
By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter