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Kim Byung-ki, floor leader of the Democratic Party, speaks during a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on September 18, addressing alleged irregularities in the Yangpyeong Expressway project. / Source: Yonhap News

Kim Byung-ki, floor leader of the Democratic Party (DP), on September 18 criticized the detention of Korean workers in the U.S. state of Georgia as “a man-made disaster caused by collapsed public discipline and complacent administration.”

Speaking at a party policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly, Kim vowed to hold responsible ministries to account during the upcoming parliamentary audits. “Our companies have repeatedly appealed to the government since last year to resolve visa issues, but the ministries concerned essentially did nothing,” he said.

“As a result, hundreds of our workers were arrested and detained over visa problems,” Kim continued, adding that the incident is now affecting Korean firms’ U.S. investment plans and even the ongoing U.S.–Korea tariff negotiations.

He urged the government to restore discipline and overhaul administrative systems: “We must listen to the voices of businesses and workers and ensure firm measures are put in place to prevent recurrence.”

Kim also pledged thorough oversight of the government’s countermeasures, saying, “We will build a government that delivers real administration and takes responsibility for the people to the very end.”