Raid at Georgia Hyundai plant causes shock, feelings of betrayal in South Korea

A lawyer representing several workers detained during an immigration raid at a Hyundai factory in Georgia says many of the South Korean nationals are specialized engineers and equipment installers. These workers were brought to the U.S. to help get a new electric battery plant operational.

Charles Kuck, an Atlanta immigration attorney representing four of the detained South Koreans, told the Associated Press that many of the workers were engaged in tasks authorized under the B-1 business visitor visa program. According to Kuck, their visits were planned for just a few weeks, never exceeding 75 days.

“The vast majority of the South Korean individuals detained by ICE were either engineers or involved in after-sales service and installation,” Kuck said.

On Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out a raid at the battery plant under construction at Hyundai’s large automotive complex west of Savannah. The operation resulted in the detention of 475 workers, including more than 300 South Koreans. Video footage released by ICE showed some detainees shackled with chains around their hands, ankles, and waists.

In response, South Korea’s foreign minister traveled to the U.S. on Monday to arrange for a charter flight to bring the detained workers back home.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated the workers were in the country illegally and emphasized the need for agreements with other countries to have foreign experts train American workers in specialized fields like battery and computer manufacturing.

However, Kuck argued that no U.S. companies manufacture the specific machines used at the Georgia battery plant, so the South Korean workers were essential for on-site installation and repairs—skills that would take three to five years to train domestically. “This has been standard practice for a long time,” Kuck said, noting that when equipment is shipped overseas, companies often send their own technicians to manage it.

Meanwhile, local labor unions in Savannah have raised concerns. Christi Hulme, president of the Savannah Regional Central Labor Council, said unions believe Hyundai and its contractors improperly employed South Korean workers for basic construction tasks such as pouring cement, erecting steel, carpentry, and pipe fitting—activities not covered under the visa program.

The raid has sparked confusion and shock in South Korea, especially as it came shortly after South Korea pledged hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. investments as part of a recent tariff agreement, according to the AP.

Before departing for the U.S., South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun called the raid “a very serious matter” and expressed surprise at the scale of the operation. Lawmakers criticized the U.S. approach, with Cho Jeongsik, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, questioning how South Korean companies could continue investing in the U.S. if their workers face such treatment. Some legislators even suggested investigating Americans who might be working illegally in South Korea.

Cho also noted that the U.S. had not adequately responded to South Korea’s requests to expand visa options for its workers. He said some of those detained might need to return to complete their work on the battery plant, and that South Korean officials are negotiating to allow reentry. “Delays in completing the factory would cause significant losses for both countries,” Cho said.

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