South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has committed to supporting the nation’s citizens who were arrested during a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor car battery factory in Georgia. The raid, which took place on March 14, 2024, resulted in the detention of over 300 South Korean nationals among approximately 475 total arrests at the Ellabell facility.
Cho Hyun, South Korea’s Foreign Minister, announced that the government has assembled a team to address the situation and may send him to Washington for discussions with U.S. officials if necessary. “We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over this matter,” Cho stated in a press briefing following the raid.
The operation, conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is noted as the largest single-site enforcement action in the agency’s history. According to officials, the workers were detained for illegally crossing the border or overstaying their visas. Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of investigations for Georgia, clarified that the raid was the culmination of a multi-month criminal investigation rather than a spontaneous immigration enforcement action. “This has been a multi-month criminal investigation,” he explained.
The focus of the investigation was on allegations of unlawful employment practices at the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint venture plant. A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor clarified that none of the detained individuals were direct employees of the company and emphasized that they are “closely monitoring” the situation. The company has promised to investigate compliance with laws and regulations among all suppliers and subcontractors involved.
In response to the raid, the South Korean government has urged the U.S. to respect the rights of its citizens. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Lee Jae-woong, emphasized that the economic activities of South Korean investors must not be unjustly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement actions.
The arrests have sparked concern among Korean nationals, with social media footage showing agents from the Homeland Security Investigations unit instructing workers at the site to cease all operations. Reports indicate that some individuals attempted to escape during the raid, leading to dramatic rescues, including one person recovered from a sewage pond.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration policies in the United States, particularly under the previous administration of Donald Trump, who implemented strict measures aimed at undocumented immigrants. South Korea, as Asia’s fourth-largest economy, has significant investments in the U.S. automotive sector. The country has invested billions to establish manufacturing plants in the U.S., partly to mitigate tariff threats.
The recent developments have implications for U.S.-South Korea relations, as President Lee had previously met with Trump to discuss bilateral investments. South Korea’s government is now balancing its economic interests with the rights and welfare of its citizens affected by U.S. immigration enforcement.
As the situation evolves, the South Korean government continues to engage with U.S. authorities to advocate for the rights of its nationals detained in Georgia.
