President Donald Trump demanded foreign companies follow U.S. immigration laws after a high-profile raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia. “We encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people,” Trump said, addressing overseas investors. “Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people … and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” he continued, while emphasizing that he expects international firms to “hire and train American Workers.”
The Hyundai site, still under construction, is expected to manufacture electric vehicle batteries. Georgia’s Republican Governor previously described the project in 2022 as “the largest economic development project in our state’s history.”
In response, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said over the weekend that he was “deeply concerned” about the detentions of Korean nationals. He announced plans to travel to the United States on Monday. Meanwhile, South Korea’s opposition party criticized the operation, calling it “a grave matter that could lead to broader repercussions.”
South Korea agreed to purchase $100 billion in U.S. energy and pledged $350 billion in investments in exchange for reduced tariff rates in July. The raid also comes just two weeks after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with Trump in Washington.
U.S. immigration officials confirmed that most of the detained workers are being held in Folkston, Georgia. Politico reported that as of Friday, none had been charged with crimes.
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee, said Seoul and Washington had finalized an agreement for the workers’ return, adding that South Korea would dispatch a charter plane to repatriate them, the outlet added.