South Korea and the United States held the inaugural meeting of a bilateral working group to address visa issues for South Korean workers on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that both sides agreed on the importance of institutional measures to support smooth personnel exchanges and ensure stable investments by Korean companies in the U.S.

In the meeting, the U.S. clarified the scope of activities permitted under the short-term B-1 business visa, reaffirming that the visa includes activities such as installation, servicing and repair of equipment purchased overseas as part of the investment process in the U.S.

The U.S. also confirmed that the same activities permitted under the B-1 visa can be conducted under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization(ESTA) program.

Both countries also agreed to establish a dedicated desk, tentatively named the ‘Korean Investor Desk,’ within the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to provide guidance and consultation on visa issues for Korean companies investing in the U.S.