ATLANTA/SEOUL — More than 300 South Korean workers detained in a large U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution battery plant construction site in Georgia have been flown home, Seoul said, in a diplomatic flap that South Korean officials warned could chill future investment in the United States.
The raid, carried out last week at the near-complete $4.3 billion battery factory, swept up roughly 475 people in total, including about 300 South Koreans who were reportedly working on-site under short-term visas or visa-waiver arrangements that U.S. authorities said did not permit the activities they were performing.
The detained workers were bused from a detention facility in southeast Georgia to Atlanta and boarded a chartered flight arranged by Korean officials; the group arrived back in South Korea after roughly a week in custody, South Korean and U.S. officials said.
Seoul has signalled strong disquiet, with senior ministers warning the episode could make Korean companies hesitant to invest in the United States unless visa rules and enforcement practices are clarified. South Korean officials have urged Washington to consider creating a new visa category or clearer guidelines for specialist workers to prevent similar incidents.
Both governments said they would pursue talks to tighten procedural guidance and avoid future disputes, amid concerns the enforcement action may delay the Georgia plant’s startup by months and complicate broader trade and investment discussions between the two allies.
