South Korea Flies Home Workers as Immigration Raid Sparks Diplomatic and Corporate Fallout

South Korea has chartered a flight to repatriate over 300 South Korean workers detained in a large-scale immigration raid at an electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia operated by a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained 475 individuals, the majority of whom were South Korean nationals, in a raid on Thursday at the facility near Savannah. The operation, described as the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security Investigations, involved months of investigation and highlighted allegations of illegal immigration and unauthorized employment.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated in an emergency meeting in Seoul that the government is deeply concerned about the arrests and is prioritizing swift resolution to protect the rights of South Korean nationals and the interests of Korean companies in the U.S. President Lee Jae Myung has also called for urgent measures to resolve the situation, emphasizing that South Korean investments and operations in the U.S. must not be compromised.

ICE officials, including Special Agent in Charge Steven Schrank, defended the operation as a necessary step to protect American jobs and enforce immigration laws. The agency released footage showing officers detaining workers and transporting them to prison buses. Schrank noted that the individuals were either in the U.S. illegally or working in violation of federal regulations. The operation has sparked political debate in the U.S., with Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock criticizing the enforcement as politically motivated and detrimental to the economy and due process.

Hyundai Motor Company has stated that it is not directly employing the detained workers but is conducting an internal investigation into potential employment compliance issues. The company reiterated its commitment to legal compliance and said it has “zero tolerance for those who don’t follow the law.” LG Energy Solution has also responded, suspending business trips to the U.S. and sending its chief human resources officer to address the situation on-site. The firm pledged to ensure the safe and timely return of all affected employees.

The incident has added strain to U.S.-South Korea relations at a time when the Trump administration is seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with South Korea. Hyundai has other significant investments in the U.S., including an auto plant in Alabama and a planned $5 billion steel plant in Louisiana. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, has supported the operation, stating that the state remains committed to enforcing immigration laws. Meanwhile, political figures like Republican Senate candidate Buddy Carter have praised the enforcement actions as necessary to protect American workers from “illegal immigration.”

The situation remains fluid, with South Korea weighing diplomatic engagement with the U.S. and South Korean companies taking measures to manage the fallout. The repatriation of workers highlights the complex intersection of immigration enforcement, international business, and diplomatic relations in the context of global supply chain operations.

Source:

[1] South Korea charters plane to fly home over 300 workers ... (https://www.npr.org/2025/09/06/nx-s1-5532604/hyundai-immigration-raid-georgia-south-korea)

[2] Newsroom | Company (https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/newsroom)