Hyundai Plant Raid: South Korea Demands Answers After Mass Arrests!
US Immigration Raid at Hyundai Plant Sparks Outrage in South Korea
A massive immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor Group plant in Georgia, USA, has triggered a diplomatic flurry and widespread concern in South Korea. Hundreds of South Korean nationals were detained, sparking an emergency response from the South Korean government.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the raid at the plant, which is also under construction to produce EV batteries, detaining 475 individuals. ICE stated that the individuals were working illegally at the facility. The Department of Homeland Security said the operation was part of a criminal investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices and other federal crimes.
South Korea has reacted strongly, with the government holding an emergency meeting and vowing to provide support to its citizens. Diplomats have been dispatched to Georgia, and LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, has suspended most business trips to the US. South Korea’s Foreign Minister has even offered to travel to Washington if necessary. The company asked those currently on business there to return to Korea immediately and said its executive would travel to the US on Sunday in response to the arrest of its staff.
The timing of the raid, amidst sensitive trade talks between the US and South Korea, has raised eyebrows. The White House defended the operation, stating that ICE was simply doing its job and that the individuals detained were “illegal aliens.”
Details of the Raid
- The raid targeted the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Ellabell, Georgia.
- ICE agents focused on the construction site for the battery plant.
- The operation is the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- The plant is one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile manufacturing sites.
The incident has raised concerns about potential disruptions to Hyundai's operations and the broader economic relationship between the US and South Korea. The South Korean government is committed to ensuring the well-being of its citizens and seeking clarification from US authorities regarding the circumstances of the raid.