South Korea Announces Agreement for Return of workers Detained at Georgia Hyundai Plant
South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement for the release of South Korean workers detained following a large-scale immigration raid at a Hyundai manufacturing facility in Georgia, the South Korean government announced Sunday.
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, stated that negotiations regarding the workers’ release have been finalized. South Korea is preparing to send a charter plane to facilitate their return home once remaining administrative procedures are completed.
The detentions occured Friday when U.S. immigration authorities detained 475 individuals, the majority of whom were South Korean nationals, during a raid on Hyundai’s Georgia plant where electric vehicles are produced. The raid focused on a facility under construction, a joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution for battery production powering EVs.
According to South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, over 300 South Korean citizens were among those detained.
The operation is part of a series of workplace raids linked to the Trump management’s mass deportation agenda, but stands out due to its scale and the significance of the targeted site as Georgia’s largest economic development project.
The raid has caused considerable concern in South Korea,given the country’s status as a key U.S. ally.In July, South Korea committed to purchasing $100 billion in U.S.energy and investing $350 billion in the U.S., in exchange for lowered U.S. tariff rates. The incident occurred shortly after the first summit talks between U.S. president Donald Trump and President Lee Jae Myung in Washington, approximately two weeks prior.
President Lee had demanded “an all-out response” to the raid,emphasizing the need to protect the rights of South Korean nationals and ensure fair treatment of South Korean companies during U.S. law enforcement actions.The South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed “concern and regret” and dispatched diplomats to the site.
Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed federal agents directing workers to line up outside the plant, with some detainees being frisked and subsequently restrained with shackles around their hands, ankles, and waist.
Most of those detained were transported to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia. Steven Schrank, lead georgia agent of homeland Security Investigations, confirmed that no detainees have been charged with any crimes, and the examination remains ongoing.
Schrank stated that some workers had entered the U.S. illegally, while others had expired visas or entered under visa waivers that prohibited employment.In response, Mr. Kang announced that South Korea will advocate for a review and improvement of visa systems for individuals traveling to the U.S. for business and investment projects.
