South Korea and U.S. Broker Agreement for Safe Return of 300 Hyundai Workers Detained in Plant Raid

SEOUL, South Korea — Over 300 South Korean workers detained in a large immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia are set to return home. The South Korean government confirmed this announcement on Sunday. Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, shared that both countries finalized negotiations for the workers’ release. A charter plane will be dispatched soon to bring them back.

The raid, which happened on Thursday, involved U.S. immigration authorities detaining 475 individuals, primarily South Korean nationals, at Hyundai’s facility where electric vehicles are produced. This site is crucial as it is part of a partnership with LG Energy Solution to develop EV batteries.

The scale of this operation surprised many in South Korea, especially since the country is a close ally of the U.S. Recently, South Korea pledged to invest $350 billion in the U.S. and purchased $100 billion in American energy, aiming for improved diplomatic and economic ties. President Lee emphasized that the legal rights of South Koreans shouldn’t be jeopardized by U.S. law enforcement actions.

Videos released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed workers being lined up and screened by agents. Most detainees were taken to a nearby immigration center, but none have been charged with crimes yet. The ongoing investigation revealed some entered the U.S. illegally, while others had expired visas or entered without permission to work.

Kang also indicated that South Korea plans to improve its visa systems for business travelers involved in investment projects in the U.S. Experts suggest this incident may prompt a reevaluation of immigration policies and international worker rights, especially as global economies become increasingly interconnected.

In recent months, workplace raids like this have raised eyebrows globally. Surveys show that many people are concerned about the impact of such measures on international relations and business investments. Workers’ rights and humane immigration practices continue to spark important discussions in both countries.

As the world watches, the focus now shifts to the future of U.S.-South Korea relations and how such events could reshape policies around labor and immigration.

For further insights on immigration policies, you can visit Pew Research for recent studies and analyses.

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