U.S.–South Korea Relations Strained Following Georgia Immigration Raid; Hundreds of Korean Workers to Return Home

Ellabell, Georgia / Seoul — In the aftermath of a large-scale immigration enforcement action at a Hyundai-LG battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia, reports indicate that more than 300 South Korean nationals detained in the raid will be released and repatriated to South Korea.

The raid, carried out September 4, involved U.S. immigration authorities detaining a total of approximately 475 workers, most of whom were South Korean.

Key Points

• The detained individuals are being freed without deportation; they will return home via a charter flight once administrative steps are completed.

• A U.S.–South Korea diplomatic dialogue is underway. South Korean officials have raised strong concerns about visa practices and the treatment of their citizens.

• Among the concerns was the use of physical restraints (handcuffs or shackles) during the deten­tions, which the South Korean government protested.

• President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea warned that unresolved visa issues may have a chilling effect on future South Korean investment in the U.S.

• The Korean Air plane is scheduled to leave Atlanta at noon ET and arrive in Seoul on Friday around 4 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET).

Implications and Next Steps

• Both countries have agreed to establish a joint working group to explore creating a new visa category or reforming existing visa policies so that skilled and temporary workers from South Korea can legally and more predictably participate in U.S. infrastructure or manufacturing projects.

• U.S. firms and foreign investors are being reminded to ensure compliance with immigration and labor laws, especially with respect to bringing in skilled workers under temporary or business-related visas.

• The incident underscores tensions between enforcing immigration law and maintaining strong economic partnerships, particularly when foreign companies are heavily invested in critical sectors like electric vehicle production.

Quotes

“South Korea companies will likely hesitate to make further investments in the United States unless Washington improves its visa system for their employees.”
— President Lee Jae Myung

“Our companies that have expanded overseas are probably very confused … you need facility managers, specialized labor, especially during the construction phase.”
— A senior South Korean official speaking on the visa/system gap.