South Korean workers return home to cheers a week after U.S. immigration raid

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INCHEON, South Korea - Some 300 South Korean workers returned home on Friday to emotional reunions with families, one week after being detained in a major U.S. immigration raid that left some questioning whether they would ever work in the United States again.

Wearing face masks, they disembarked a chartered plane at Incheon airport and were greeted with cheers from officials, including the presidential chief of staff, before being taken by bus to meet family members.

Their return capped a week of intense negotiations by Seoul to win their release and bring them home after they were taken into custody in handcuffs and shackles - images that shocked many in South Korea, a key U.S. ally.

SOUTH KOREA WANTS CHANGES TO U.S. VISA SYSTEM

South Korean businesses have long struggled with obtaining proper visas for specialist staff needed at project sites for months at a time, which has led to some workers relying on grey areas in U.S. visa enforcement.

The two countries are looking at establishing a working group to consider a new type of visa for Koreans, according to South Koreas foreign minister who visited Washington this week.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said he had come to the airport to highlight how seriously President Lee Jae Myung was taking the incident that had affected innocent people of Korea.

Were in an age of new normal in dealing with the United States, Kang told reporters.

The standard changes every time and constantly there has to be deal-making, not only on tariffs, but itll also be the case with security issues, he said.

The workers were met by family members and officials at