South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, has ordered 'all-out efforts' to assist hundreds of its citizens arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) during a raid at a battery factory construction site in Georgia. The facility, a joint venture between LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Hyundai Motor, is intended to produce batteries for electric vehicles.
Foreign minister Cho Hyun confirmed that a taskforce has been established following the arrest of 300 South Korean nationals. He stated he would travel to Washington if necessary and felt a 'heavy responsibility' over the detentions. The raid, described by US officials as the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security, resulted in approximately 475 arrests.
LGES suspended employee business travel to the US after 47 of its staff were detained, instructing those currently in the country to return immediately. A company executive is set to travel to the US on Sunday to address the situation. Hyundai Motor stated that none of those arrested were directly employed by the automaker, which complies with all relevant laws.
The factory, part of a $4.3bn venture announced in 2023, was due to begin operations by the end of this year. The raid has disrupted construction and raised concerns about the impact of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown on foreign investment. Georgia's governor, Brian Kemp, had previously hailed the project as a major economic boost.
US officials said the arrests followed a months-long investigation into unlawful employment practices, with detained workers accused of entering the country illegally or overstaying visas. They are being held at an Ice facility in Folkston, Georgia. The incident may strain relations between Washington and Seoul, which have been negotiating a trade deal involving $350bn in investments.
