South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has expressed concern that a recent U.S. immigration enforcement operation in Georgia could significantly affect future South Korean investment in the United States. The statement follows a large-scale immigration raid conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 4 at a Hyundai–LG battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia, where more than 300 South Korean nationals were detained.
According to South Korean officials, a total of 316 South Korean workers were among 330 individuals released after the operation. The workers were reportedly employed by South Korean subcontractors supporting the electric vehicle battery manufacturing project, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. The facility is part of a multi-billion-dollar investment by South Korean firms in the U.S. clean energy and mobility sector.
President Lee, during a press briefing marking 100 days in office, described the incident as “shocking” and said it could have a considerable impact on South Korean companies’ willingness to invest in the United States. He noted that the workers were present under legally issued short-term travel authorizations or visa waiver programs and were involved in technical installation and setup processes, not long-term employment.
Economic ties strained following immigration arrests
The incident has prompted swift diplomatic engagement. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is coordinating with U.S. counterparts to secure the safe return of its nationals. The released workers are scheduled to return to South Korea via a chartered flight departing from Atlanta on Friday. Other foreign nationals detained and released include individuals from Japan, China and Indonesia. The South Korean government has called for the establishment of a new visa category tailored for temporary technical workers dispatched to support industrial projects.
Officials argue that existing U.S. visa classifications are insufficient for accommodating skilled labor required for factory setup and equipment calibration in large-scale investments. The U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security have acknowledged ongoing discussions with South Korean authorities. No formal charges have been announced against the South Korean nationals detained in the Georgia operation. The U.S. Department of Labor is separately reviewing compliance issues related to labor classifications and visa usage at the site.
The Georgia facility is one of the largest clean energy investments by a South Korean company in the United States and was projected to generate thousands of local jobs. It is a key component of Hyundai’s broader $5.5 billion investment plan in electric vehicle production and battery manufacturing in Georgia, aligned with U.S. clean energy policy incentives. President Lee reiterated the importance of resolving visa classification challenges to ensure that similar disruptions do not occur in future cross-border industrial partnerships.
Korean firms reconsider operational risks in U.S.
He emphasized that while the detained workers were released, the reputational and operational impact of the incident may affect Korean corporate assessments of future projects in the U.S. The incident comes amid a broader increase in South Korean foreign direct investment into the U.S., with more than $100 billion pledged in sectors ranging from semiconductors and batteries to electric vehicles and renewable energy. South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung, SK Group and Hyundai, have expanded their U.S. manufacturing footprint in recent years.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in Seoul is reviewing the implications of the Georgia raid in coordination with Korean companies operating in the U.S. Diplomatic channels remain active as both governments seek to maintain momentum in bilateral economic cooperation while addressing regulatory and labor-related concerns linked to foreign investment, including legal frameworks governing short-term technical deployments and compliance with U.S. immigration policies. – By MENA Newswire News Desk.