South Korea to Repatriate 300 Workers Detained in Massive Hyundai Plant Raid in Georgia

Some 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, were detained at the site on Friday, immigration authorities said (Corey Bullard/US Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)

Ellabell, Georgia – September 7, 2025 – In a swift diplomatic resolution, the South Korean government announced today that it has reached an agreement with U.S. authorities to release and repatriate over 300 of its nationals detained during a high-profile immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor Group facility in Georgia. The workers, many of whom were shackled and loaded onto buses in dramatic footage released by federal agents, are expected to board a chartered flight home as soon as administrative procedures are finalized.

The raid, dubbed "Operation Low Voltage," unfolded on Thursday, September 4, at the sprawling Hyundai Metaplant America site in Ellabell, a small town about 25 miles west of Savannah. Hundreds of federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other agencies descended on the 3,000-acre complex, arresting a total of 475 individuals suspected of unlawful employment.Among them, more than 300 were South Korean nationals, including 47 employees from LG Energy Solution – Hyundai's joint venture partner in the battery plant under construction – and around 250 from affiliated contractor firms. At least 23 Mexican nationals were also detained, highlighting the multinational workforce at the site.

Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI for Georgia, described the operation as the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security Investigations. "This was not an immigration sweep where agents rounded up folks and put them on buses," Schrank emphasized during a Friday press conference. "It stemmed from a multi-month criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes." Authorities alleged that many detainees had entered the U.S. on visa waivers or business visas that prohibited work, or had overstayed their visas. Some attempted to flee, with reports of individuals being pulled from a sewage pond on the premises.

Social media videos captured the chaos: workers in yellow safety vests lined up against walls, hands raised, as agents in tactical gear frisked them and applied handcuffs and ankle shackles. The footage, released by ICE, showed detainees being herded onto buses bound for the Folkston immigration processing center near the Florida border. Construction at the battery plant – a $12.6 billion project hailed as Georgia's largest economic development initiative – was immediately halted, though operations at the adjacent EV manufacturing facility continued uninterrupted.

The incident has strained U.S.-South Korea relations at a delicate moment. Just 11 days prior, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, where Seoul pledged $150 billion in new U.S. investments, including $26 billion from Hyundai, to offset 15% tariffs on Korean exports.

The broader trade deal encompasses $350 billion in commitments aimed at bolstering American manufacturing in semiconductors, EVs, and batteries.

South Korea's response was immediate and forceful. President Lee ordered "all-out efforts" to secure the workers' release, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun convening an emergency task force.

 Diplomats from the South Korean consulate in Atlanta were dispatched to the site, and Cho is set to travel to Washington on Monday for high-level talks. "The economic activities of our companies investing in the U.S. and the rights and interests of our citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement," First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo stated, expressing "regret" over the raid's timing and the release of shackling videos.

On Sunday, presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik confirmed the breakthrough: "Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded. Only administrative procedures remain, and once completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our nationals home." Seoul also vowed to review and improve visa systems for personnel on U.S. business trips, aiming to prevent future incidents.

Hyundai and LG Energy Solution distanced themselves from the detainees, stating none were directly employed by the parent companies but rather by subcontractors. "We have zero tolerance for those who don't follow the law," a Hyundai spokesperson said, announcing an internal probe into contractor compliance.

LG suspended all non-essential U.S. business travel and instructed employees there to shelter in place or return home, citing safety concerns.

President Trump defended the raid, calling the detainees "illegal aliens" and praising ICE for "doing its job."

The operation aligns with his administration's aggressive deportation agenda, bolstered by record funding and expanded raid authority. Border czar Tom Homan indicated more workplace enforcements are forthcoming, targeting what he called exploitative hiring practices that undercut American workers.

Critics, including Georgia Democrats like Sen. Raphael Warnock, decried the raid as "politically motivated fear tactics" that terrorize hardworking immigrants and disrupt the economy. Local Korean American leaders expressed shock, noting the workers were skilled technicians essential to the plant's EV battery production, set to launch by year's end. Business owners near the site, like a Vietnamese supermarket owner reliant on Korean customers, worry about an exodus that could harm the community.

The Hyundai-LG project, part of a $7.6 billion EV ecosystem, was celebrated by Gov. Brian Kemp as a "game changer" for Georgia jobs.Yet, experts like Atlanta-based Korean lawyer Jongwon Lee point to systemic issues: "The U.S. invited massive investments but provides insufficient visas for the skilled workers needed to build these factories." South Korean media has labeled the event a "shock," warning of a chilling effect on bilateral business ties.

As the chartered flight preparations proceed, the raid underscores the tensions between Trump's immigration crackdown and his push for foreign investment. For the detained workers – mechanics, technicians, and engineers far from home – repatriation offers relief, but it leaves unresolved questions about America's visa policies and the future of Korean firms stateside.