More than 300 South Koreans who were detained in a U.S. immigration raid last week have been set free, seven days after their arrest and detention.
The group was released from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detention facility in Folkston, Georgia, at 1:20 a.m. Thursday, or around 2:20 p.m. Thursday, Korea Standard Time.
They will board eight buses to make the 430-kilometer trip to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, a drive that typically takes four and a half hours.
Upon their arrival at the airport, the group will immediately board a Korean Air charter flight that has been on standby at the airport since Wednesday morning.
The plane is set to depart from Atlanta at noon local time and arrive at Incheon International Airport on Friday afternoon Korea Standard Time.
A total of 330 people are set to board the plane, including 316 South Koreans.
A foreign ministry official said one of the South Koreans who had been detained expressed intent to stay in the U.S.