WASHINGTON; South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday directed government agencies to make urgent, all-out efforts in response to the arrests of hundreds of South Korean nationals in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor car battery plant.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said a special response team has been formed after more than 300 Koreans were detained at the facility in Georgia on Thursday. He added that he may travel to Washington to hold talks with U.S. officials if necessary.
According to U.S. authorities, a total of 475 workers, the majority of them South Korean, were taken into custody for allegedly working illegally at the site — considered one of the largest foreign investment projects in Georgia. “I am deeply concerned and feel heavy responsibility for the arrests of our citizens,” Cho said during an emergency government session.
The episode risks adding new strain to U.S.–South Korea relations, which have already faced friction over the details of a trade pact covering 350 billion dollars in Korean investment in the United States.
Footage released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed dozens of Asian workers, shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles, being escorted onto buses after the raid, which involved armored vehicles and a helicopter. Officials described the arrests as the largest single-site immigration enforcement action in the history of the Department of Homeland Security.
Special Agent Steven N. Schrank of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama said the operation was meant to send a “clear message” against those who exploit the system, stressing that companies are welcome to invest but must comply with legal labor practices.
In response, Hyundai pledged to investigate its suppliers and subcontractors for compliance, while LG Energy Solution — Hyundai’s partner in the plant — said it was suspending most business travel to the U.S. and confirmed that 47 of its employees and around 250 contractor staff were among those detained.
