South Korea’s government has launched an emergency response after hundreds of its citizens were arrested in a large U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia.
Seoul sent diplomats to the site, and LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, suspended most U.S. business trips. Authorities detained 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, for allegedly working illegally at one of Georgia’s biggest foreign investment projects.
President Donald Trump defended the operation. “They were illegal aliens, and ICE was just doing its job,” he said. Video released by ICE showed workers in handcuffs, some wearing vests labeled “Hyundai” and “LG CNS.” HSI Special Agent Steven Schrank said the raid was necessary to protect U.S. jobs.
Diplomatic Concerns
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed a “great sense of responsibility” for the arrests. The government set up an Overseas Korean Protection Task Force and may send officials to Washington. President Lee Jae Myung emphasized that the rights of South Korean nationals and the operations of Korean-invested companies in the U.S. must not be harmed.
Details of the Raid
The raid targeted a Hyundai-LG joint electric vehicle battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia. Officials described it as the largest single-site operation in Homeland Security Investigations history. The arrested workers were either illegally in the U.S. or violating visa terms. They were taken to an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia. No criminal charges were immediately announced.
Company Responses
Hyundai said none of those arrested were directly employed by the company. It stressed full compliance with U.S. laws and said it would review subcontractor practices. LG said it was closely monitoring the situation and would fully cooperate with authorities.
Broader Context
The operation involved multiple federal agencies, including ICE, Border Patrol, the FBI, DEA, IRS, and ATF. South Korea urged the U.S. Embassy to protect its citizens and Korean investment activities.
