In a recent interview, Muñoz expressed surprise over a raid that occurred at a battery plant jointly operated by Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions, noting that he initially believed the incident involved his own facility. “I could not believe what I saw because I would have known, probably before the news,” he stated, highlighting confusion over the lack of communication regarding the raid. After examining the details, he confirmed that the incident was not related to Hyundai’s Metaplant but occurred at the adjacent LG factory.
Muñoz criticized media coverage, stating that images shown in reports predominantly featured Hyundai’s facility instead of the actual site of the raid. This discussion comes shortly after he confirmed delays in the plant’s construction, attributed to labor shortages. The raid on September 4 resulted in the arrest of 475 workers, primarily from South Korea.
In a broader context, President Donald Trump announced a measure allowing foreign companies to bring in specialized workers to train U.S. laborers. However, there are concerns about the implications of the raid, suggesting it may discourage foreign investment and affect industries like automotive manufacturing, especially as they pivot to electric vehicle production.
The nature of the ICE raid has raised eyebrows, as it targeted standard practices wherein foreign automakers enlist their own employees during the construction of facilities in the U.S. Muñoz defended the foreign workers, asserting the necessity of their expertise in building specialized factories within American contexts. He advocated for the establishment of a new visa category for skilled workers engaged in large projects to prevent similar situations in the future.
Muñoz conveyed optimism that both the U.S. and South Korean governments are actively seeking solutions to prevent future incidents of this nature.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/781497/hyundai-ceo-distances-ice-raid-georgia-trump