Over 300 South Koreans Detained in U.S. Immigration Raid: Seoul Demands Swift Action
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered an “all-out response” after more than 300 South Korean nationals were detained in a large-scale U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG car battery plant in Georgia.
The Thursday operation, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is reportedly the largest single-site immigration enforcement action in the history of the Department of Homeland Security.
According to LG Energy Solution, 47 of its employees and about 250 subcontractor workers were among those arrested at the facility near Savannah, Georgia.
Speaking at an emergency government meeting on Saturday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the government had formed a rapid response team and was considering sending a high-level delegation to Washington D.C.
“I am deeply concerned. I feel heavy responsibility for the arrests of our citizens,” Cho said.
Footage released by ICE shows dozens of Asian workers—some in yellow vests labeled “Hyundai” and “LG CNS”—being led onto buses, shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles. The operation reportedly involved armored vehicles and aerial surveillance. Two workers were found hiding in a nearby pond.
The arrest total stands at 475, including over 300 South Koreans, making it the most significant enforcement action under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown.
“We welcome all companies who want to invest in the U.S.,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “But they need to do it the legal way.”
The raid comes at a tense moment in U.S.-South Korea relations. Despite a historic $350 billion South Korean investment in U.S. manufacturing, trade tensions have flared under Trump’s administration. This latest incident threatens to deepen the rift between the two longtime allies.
In response, Hyundai has pledged to investigate its suppliers and subcontractors to ensure compliance with U.S. labor and immigration laws. Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution has suspended U.S. business travel for employees and instructed staff currently in the U.S. to return home, barring critical client meetings.
