South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Saturday held an emergency meeting about the issue.
Koreans Detained In US In Immigration Raid At A Hyundai Battery Plant In Georgia US Latest News: South Korea's government has held an emergency meeting to respond to the arrests of hundreds of its citizens in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US, the BBC reported.
According to the news portal, Korea has dispatched its diplomats to the site in Georgia. Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, said it was suspending most business trips to the US, the report said.
The report further stated that a total of 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were detained by US officials.
US officials said that the hundreds of detainees were found to be illegally working at the battery facility, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.
The United States has defended the detention, dismissing concerns that the raid could deter foreign investment.
"They were illegal aliens and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was just doing its job," President Donald Trump is quoted as saying after the raids on Friday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, in video footage, showed the workers restrained in front of a building, with some wearing yellow vests with names such as "Hyundai" and "LG CNS."
ICE stated that people on short-term or recreational visas are not allowed to work in the US and added that it was necessary to protect American jobs.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Steven Schrank said in a statement on Saturday that the operation sends a clear message that those "who exploit the system and undermine our workforce will be held accountable."
South Korea, which maintains a strong partnership with the United States, has promised to invest large amounts of money—tens of billions of dollars—into building and supporting manufacturing projects in America. One reason for this is to balance or reduce the impact of US tariffs.
According to the report, the timing of the raid has raised concerns in Seoul, as the two nations engage in sensitive trade talks.
Many of the LG employees arrested were on business trips with various visas or under a visa waiver programme, the report said, citing officials.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Korea, Holds Emergency Meeting
South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Saturday held an emergency meeting about the issue.
The minister said that the government had set up an Overseas Korean Protection Task Force to respond to the arrests and that he may himself travel to the US if needed.
"Immediately after this incident became known, the President stressed that US law enforcement actions must not unjustly infringe upon the rights of our nationals or the economic activities of our Korean-invested companies," the minister is quoted as saying in the report.
LG Energy Solution Sends Chief Human Resources Officer to US
On Saturday, LG Energy Solution announced it was sending its Chief Human Resources Officer, Kim Ki-soo to the Georgia site on Sunday, in an effort to secure the swift release of detained individuals.
"We are confirming regular medications for families through an emergency contact network for detainees and plan to request that necessary medications be delivered to those detained," it is quoted as saying in a statement in the report.
Company Suspends Business Trips to the US
According to the BBC report, the company said that it was suspending most business trips to the US and directing employees on assignment in the US to return to Korea immediately.
The arrested workers were being held at an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia, until the agency decides where to move them next, the report said.
(For more news apart from “US Detains Koreans 'Illegal Aliens' in Immigration Raid; Korea Says 'Unjustly Infringe Upon Rights',” stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
