South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has ordered "all-out efforts" to assist hundreds of South Korean nationals arrested during a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raid at a battery factory under construction in Georgia. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced a taskforce had been set up following the arrest of 300 South Korean citizens, and said he would travel to Washington if necessary.
The raid, described as the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security, saw about 475 workers detained. Among those arrested were 47 employees of South Korea's LG Energy Solution (LGES), which promptly suspended business travel to the US and recalled staff. The factory, a joint venture between LGES and Hyundai Motor, is intended to produce batteries for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis electric vehicles.
The arrests have raised tensions between Seoul and Washington, key allies, amid ongoing trade negotiations. The project represents a $4.3bn investment and is part of a broader $12.6bn commitment by Hyundai in Georgia. Hyundai Motor stated that none of its direct employees were among those arrested and that production of electric vehicles at the site was unaffected.
A DHS official said the operation, involving Ice, the FBI and the DEA, was based on a judicial warrant and targeted individuals who had entered the US illegally or overstayed visas. The detained workers are being held at an Ice facility in Folkston, Georgia.
