A group of South Korean workers detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia may face delays in returning home, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry. The Ministry indicated that their departure has become complicated due to “circumstances on the US side,” and discussions are underway to facilitate their exit from the United States as soon as feasible.
The workers were initially scheduled to return on a chartered flight at 14:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Wednesday. In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to meet with South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Washington on the same day. Before departing for the U.S., Cho stated his intention to collaborate with the Trump administration to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Last week, U.S. authorities detained a total of 475 individuals, with over 300 identified as South Korean nationals, who were alleged to be working illegally at the battery facility—one of Georgia’s largest foreign investment projects. An employee at the plant described the atmosphere during the raid, highlighting the panic experienced by the predominantly mechanic workforce employed by a contractor to install production lines.
South Korea, a significant U.S. ally in Asia, has committed to investing tens of billions of dollars in the American economy, partially as a countermeasure to tariffs. Concerns in South Korea have been raised regarding the timing of the raid amidst ongoing sensitive trade discussions between the two nations.
The White House has defended the raid and downplayed apprehensions about its potential impact on foreign investment. President Donald Trump commented on the incident in a social media post, urging foreign companies to hire American workers while asserting that the U.S. government would facilitate legal entry for foreign employees who comply with immigration laws.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cddm6dengq7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss