President Donald Trump said he was “very much opposed” to last month’s controversial immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, while South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned the incident may hinder future U.S. factory construction.
Catch up: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested more than 300 South Korean workers at Hyundai’s electric vehicle battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, on Sept. 4, marking Homeland Security Investigations’ largest single-site operation in its history. Images released by authorities depicted some workers shackled, triggering outrage in South Korea and straining diplomatic relations.
Following urgent negotiations, the workers were returned to South Korea on a chartered flight. The operation, however, leaves the plant with a startup delay of two to three months. The setback comes as Seoul already faces 25% U.S. tariffs on automobiles, compared to 15% for Japanese and European competitors.
What they’re saying: In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Lee said the treatment of the workers came as a surprise: “Many in Korea were surprised because our workers who went to the United States to help the U.S. with its manufacturing renaissance received irrational treatment.” He also characterized the experience as traumatic for both workers and their families, noting some that some no longer want to go back. “Unless we completely resolve this issue, I believe that they will not want to return,” he said.
On the other hand, Trump took a different tack Monday. “You know how I feel, I was very much opposed,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Japan, part of his Asia trip. He went on to justify the need for foreign companies to bring specialized personnel to the U.S. “You can’t just pick people off an unemployment line and say, ‘We just, you know, opened up a $2 billion battery factory,’” he said.
Latest developments: In South Korea’s Gyeongju on Wednesday, Lee presented Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, making him the first U.S. president to receive South Korea’s highest honor. The ceremonial gesture came as both nations continue negotiating a trade agreement, though talks have stalled over Trump’s request for $350 billion in South Korean investment in the U.S.
For now, the White House is developing a “whole new” visa plan for specialized foreign workers. The South Korean Foreign Ministry also announced earlier this month that Washington had agreed to permit workers to use short-term visas or visa waiver programs when helping construct industrial facilities in the U.S.
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.
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