Hyundai Supplier Raid in Georgia Sparks Outrage in South Korea, threatens US Investment
savannah, Georgia & Seoul, South Korea – September 7, 2025 – A recent crackdown by U.S. authorities on workers at a Georgia facility supplying Hyundai Motor has ignited public anger in South Korea and raised serious concerns about the future of planned Korean investment in the United States. The raid, occurring just after a high-profile summit between South Korean President Lee Jae-myong and former U.S. President Donald Trump,has prompted the South Korean government to prepare charter flights to repatriate the detained workers.
Details surrounding the workers’ visa status and legal eligibility to work at the facility remain unclear. Though, images and reports from South Korean media depicting workers restrained on buses and within the Georgia detention center – described as “closed in mold, worse than a prison” by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper – have fueled widespread outrage.
The crackdown casts a shadow over a recently solidified economic agreement between the two nations.The deal includes a $350 billion investment fund, with $150 billion earmarked for shipbuilding to bolster Korean companies expanding in the U.S.,alongside an additional $150 billion pledged by private companies.
“I feel like I’ve been stabbed from behind,” stated Professor Kim Tae-hyun of chongji University in Seoul, reflecting a common sentiment. “Most Koreans can’t help but be angry.” He predicts Korean companies will “inevitably” become more cautious regarding their investment plans in the U.S.
The incident poses a potential diplomatic challenge for the Lee administration, already facing domestic pressure. Concerns are mounting that the perceived heavy-handedness of the U.S. enforcement action could be interpreted as increased political and legal risk for businesses considering expansion into the American market.
Hyundai Motor itself recently announced a notable increase in its planned U.S. investment, raising the total to $26 billion by 2028 – a $5 billion increase from its March announcement. The company intends to expand production of automobiles, steel, and robots within the U.S. The future of these plans, and other Korean investments, is now being questioned in light of the current situation.
Original Title: US Migrant Raid Jolts South Korea, Stirs Investor Anxiety (1) – Bloomberg.
