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South Korea announced on Monday its intention to allow hundreds of its citizens, who were detained last week during a major U.S. immigration crackdown at a car battery manufacturing site, to re-enter the United States. These individuals are scheduled to be repatriated soon.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is departing for Washington Monday evening to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the situation. Cho also indicated he plans to request a streamlined visa process for Korean workers in the future.
Approximately 300 South Koreans were among the 475 individuals taken into custody last Thursday at a $4.3 billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution aimed at producing batteries for electric vehicles. This operation was the largest single-site enforcement action ever conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.
The incident caused considerable concern in South Korea, a key U.S. ally that has been working to finalize a trade agreement with the U.S., which was initially negotiated in late July. The crackdown occurred just ten days after South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae Myung, met with President Donald Trump in Washington, where both leaders committed to strengthening economic and business relations.
This development also brought to light ongoing challenges faced by foreign companies investing in the U.S., particularly regarding the difficulties in recruiting qualified American workers.
South Korea stated on Sunday that negotiations to secure the release of the detained workers, mostly employed through subcontractors, have largely concluded. Plans are underway to transport them home aboard a chartered flight later this week, with one South Korean foreign ministry official describing it as a “voluntary departure.”
During a Monday parliamentary hearing, Cho emphasized that negotiations have always prioritized preventing any personal harm to the detained workers. While specifics on how the workers may have violated immigration regulations have not been publicly disclosed, South Korean lawmakers mentioned that some may have exceeded the 90-day visa waiver or B-1 temporary business visa limits.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol noted that some experts had traveled from South Korea to assist with a factory testing phase scheduled to begin production in October. He explained that obtaining official visas for such testing is difficult and that experts might have traveled unofficially due to the pressing time constraints.
Seoul has expressed strong displeasure over the arrests and the public display of footage showing the operation, which involved armored vehicles and shackled workers. Former President Trump, who has increased deportations amid a crackdown on illegal immigration, said last week that he was unaware of the raid and referred to the detainees as “illegal aliens.”
On Sunday, Trump urged foreign companies operating in the U.S. to respect American immigration laws but encouraged lawful visa practices. He stated on Truth Social that investments are welcome, and he supports legally bringing in skilled personnel to develop world-class products.
Hyundai Motor is one of the largest foreign investors in the U.S., committed to a $150 billion foreign direct investment pledge, supplementing a separate $350 billion fund pledged by the South Korean government. A Hyundai spokesperson revealed that some staff had been instructed to suspend non-essential trips to the U.S., and LG Energy Solution has temporarily halted most business travel and will be recalling South Korean employees currently in the U.S. The company reported cooperation with authorities and an interruption in factory construction.
Hyundai also clarified that none of those detained were directly employed by the automaker, and production at the extensive EV plant was unaffected. Both Hyundai and LG Energy Solution declined to comment further on Monday.
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