South Korea Responds to Mass Detention of Citizens in US Hyundai Immigration Raid

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:13:41 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

An emergency meeting in South Korea follows the detention of hundreds of its citizens during an ICE raid at a Hyundai plant in the US, highlighting the sensitive nature of immigration policies amidst trade relations.

The South Korean government held an emergency meeting after US immigration enforcement detained 475 workers at a Hyundai battery manufacturing facility in Georgia, sparking concerns over the impact on foreign investment. The detentions, which involved numerous South Korean nationals, have prompted Seoul to dispatch diplomats and enact immediate measures to ensure the wellbeing of those affected. LG Energy Solution announced a suspension of business trips to the US amid fears the raids could negatively influence future investments.

South Korea's government has held an emergency meeting and vowed to swiftly respond to the arrests of hundreds of its citizens in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US.

Seoul has dispatched diplomats to the site in Georgia, while LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, said it was suspending most business trips to the US.

US officials detained 475 people - mostly South Korean nationals - who they said were found to be illegally working at the battery facility, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.

The White House defended the operation, dismissing concerns that the raid could deter foreign investment.

They were illegal aliens and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was just doing its job, President Donald Trump said following the raids on Friday.

Video released by ICE officials showed Asian workers shackled in front of a building, with some wearing yellow vests with names such as Hyundai and LG CNS....

On Saturday, LG Energy Solution said it was sending its Chief Human Resources Officer Kim Ki-soo to the Georgia site on Sunday. We are making all-out efforts to secure the swift release of detained individuals from our company and partner firms, it said in a statement to the South Korean media.