Seoul: South Korea on Friday expressed "concern and regret" following a significant U.S. immigration raid at an electric vehicle battery plant site in Georgia, where over 300 South Koreans were taken into custody. The South Korean government urged that the rights of these individuals should not be unfairly violated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. authorities detained a total of 450 workers at the EV battery plant construction site operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution Ltd. in Ellabell, Bryan County, west of Savannah, on Thursday. Among those detained, more than 300 were identified as South Korean nationals, as confirmed by a diplomatic source.
The U.S. authorities indicated that the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into undocumented individuals, who now face possible charges related to illegal stay, according to local media reports citing immigration authorities.
Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong emphasized in a press briefing that the economic activities of South Korean companies investing in the U.S., along with the rights and interests of South Korean nationals, should not be subject to unfair violations. He further noted that the concerns and regrets were communicated to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.