Employees Depart Korea Following U.S. Immigration Enforcement Action
In a surprising turn of events, the Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in Georgia experienced a US immigration raid last week. The raid, which was the largest single-site operation conducted since US President Donald Trump launched a sweeping immigration crackdown, resulted in the arrest of approximately 475 people, the majority of whom were South Korean workers.
The raid, which occurred less than a month after Trump welcomed South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to the White House, has caused widespread concern in South Korea. President Lee expressed his concerns about the potential impact on future investment, calling the raid "bewildering."
Images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid have caused alarm in South Korea. In response, the South Korean government dispatched a special task force to the United States to ensure that the workers are not subjected to future repression when re-entering the US.
Seoul negotiated to make sure the workers were not handcuffed again as they were repatriated. The South Korean government also worked to ensure that visa issuance for investment-related purposes operates normally.
The Hyundai-LG battery plant is a $4.3 billion venture to build a battery cell manufacturing facility in Georgia. LG Energy Solution, a partner in the project, stated that it remains committed to its US projects and is working to minimize business impact from the raid incident.
The construction delay at the Hyundai factory site is now estimated to be at least two to three months due to labor shortages. South Korea maintains multiple plants in the United States and has heeded Washington's push to onshore manufacturing and boost investment in America.
Korean Air operated a Boeing 747-8I flight from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Thursday, carrying 316 South Korean and 14 foreign employees. LG Energy Solution thanked the Seoul government for its support and negotiation efforts.
It is believed that most of the detained South Korean workers were likely to have been on visas that do not permit hands-on construction work. Many South Korean companies bring their own workforce during project development periods, with industry sources stating it is common practice to use visa workarounds to avoid project delays.
The negotiation focus was to ensure that workers would not suffer future repercussions should they seek to re-enter the United States. The incident has highlighted the complexities of immigration policies and their potential impact on international business and investment.
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