The South Korean government has launched an investigation into possible human rights violations after more than 300 of its nationals were detained in the US during a raid at a Hyundai-operated electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia.
Seoul expressed “strong regret” and urged Washington to ensure that the rights and interests of its citizens are not infringed in future law enforcement actions. The raid, which saw nearly 475 people mostly South Korean nationals arrested on 4 September, is the largest single-location immigration raid since President Donald Trump intensified his crackdown on illegal migrants earlier this year.
Officials from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claimed the South Koreans had overstayed visas or were not legally permitted to work. However, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung warned that such actions could discourage foreign investment, describing the situation as “bewildering” since it is standard practice for Korean companies to send workers abroad to support new factory setups.
Hyundai has already announced a two-month delay in the plant’s opening following the incident, while South Korea’s trade unions have called for an official apology from Trump.
The raid has strained US-South Korea ties, particularly as South Korean firms are preparing to invest billions in the US to avoid steep tariffs under a new trade deal.
Trump, seeking to calm tensions, said foreign workers remain welcome in the US, stressing that the country should learn from global experts in fields such as shipbuilding and chipmaking. He added on Truth Social: “We welcome them, we welcome their employees, and we are willing to proudly say we will learn from them.”
