The government of South Korea summoned a emergency meeting To discuss the arrest of hundreds of citizens of your country in a police operation that detained immigrants at a Hyundai factory in the United States. Seoul’s authorities promised a quick response to the event.
The action resulted in 475 people detained, Most of South Korean nationalitywhich, according to US authorities, worked illegally in the battery unit. The factory, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state of Georgia, is operated together by Hyundai and by LG Energy Solution.
In response, Seoul sent diplomats to the venue. LG Energy Solution, in turn, announced the suspension of most business trips to the US.
The White House defended the operation, minimizing the concern that it can rule out foreign investments. President Donald Trump, after Friday’s beats, stated that the detainees were “illegal and the ICE (immigration and customs service) was just doing his job.”
Videos released by ICE officers showed handcuffed Asian workers, some wearing yellow vests with the names “Hyundai” and “LG CNS”. The immigration agency stated that the operation was necessary to “protect American jobs” and sent “a clear message that those who explore the system and damage our workforce will be held responsible.” The agency stressed that people with short -term or leisure visas “are not allowed to work in the US”.
The incident occurs at a delicate time, while the two countries – strong allies – negotiate business agreements. South Korea has promised to invest dozens of billions of dollars in the American manufacturing sector, in part as a way to compensate tariffs.
Seoul Mobilization
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, For Hyunhe expressed a “great sense of responsibility for the arrest of our citizens” during Saturday’s emergency meeting. The government formed a Korean protection task force abroad To deal with the situation and the minister did not rule out a trip to Washington if necessary.
Cho Hyun said that shortly after the incident, the South Korean president emphasized that “the actions of the US authorities should not unfairly infringe the rights of our citizens or the economic activities of our companies with Korean investments.” South Korean authorities reported that many of the detained LG employees were on business trips with various visas or even under a visa exemption program, which has generated concern in Seoul.
