Mass ICE Raid at Georgia Hyundai Plant Sparks Concern from South Korea over Unjust Infringement on Business Activities and Worker Rights
SOUTH KOREA EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S. IMMIGRATION RAID AT GEORGIA HYUNDAI EV MANUFACTURING SITE
The South Korean Foreign Ministry has expressed concern and regret over a significant immigration raid at a large-scale electric vehicle manufacturing site in Georgia, operated by Hyundai Motor Company. The exact number of detained South Koreans has not been disclosed, but reports suggest that approximately 300 may have been apprehended.
Hyundai’s South Korean office is yet to comment on the matter. The raid targeted one of Georgia’s most prominent manufacturing sites, a $7.6 billion project that began manufacturing electric vehicles last year and employs around 1,200 people. Hyundai Motor Group has also partnered with LG Energy Solution to build an adjacent battery plant, due to open next year.
The raid was conducted at the 3,000-acre site west of Savannah, Georgia, with federal authorities focusing on the construction site for the battery plant. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that the enforcement operation was part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry is taking active measures to address the case, deploying diplomats from its embassy in Washington and consulate in Atlanta to the site, and planning to establish an on-site response team. In a televised statement, the ministry’s spokesperson emphasized the importance of protecting the business activities of South Korean investors and the rights of their nationals during U.S. law enforcement operations.
The HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture between Hyundai and LG’s battery division, has stated that it is cooperating fully with the authorities and has temporarily paused construction at the battery site to assist them in their work. Operations at Hyundai’s electric vehicle manufacturing plant remain uninterrupted.
The Trump administration has been known for its wide-ranging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, targeting various sectors such as farms, construction sites, restaurants, and auto repair shops as part of a mass deportation agenda. Preliminary Census Bureau data suggests that the U.S. labor force lost over 1.2 million immigrants between January and July this year, including both undocumented and legal residents.