Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced his potential visit to the United States to address the recent arrests of hundreds of South Koreans by U.S. immigration authorities at a South Korean battery plant site in Georgia. This statement came as Cho led an emergency meeting on the crackdown, confirming that over 300 of the 457 individuals taken into custody are South Korean nationals.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho expressed deep concern and responsibility over the arrests, emphasizing the need for swift action. During the meeting, attended by two vice ministers and other officials, Cho discussed the possibility of sending a senior foreign ministry official to the site immediately. He also mentioned the potential for his own trip to Washington to hold talks with the U.S. administration.
President Lee Jae Myung has directed officials to exert every effort to resolve the situation quickly, ensuring the protection of South Korean nationals' rights and interests, as well as the business operations of South Korean companies in the United States.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na conveyed regret and concern about the crackdown to acting U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Joseph Yun. The arrests occurred during a search at an electric vehicle battery plant site operated by HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd., in Bryan County near Savannah. The raid was described as a criminal investigation into alleged unlawful employment practices.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the arrested individuals are "illegal aliens," and immigration officials were simply performing their duties. Steven Schrank, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations for Georgia, noted that those in custody include individuals who entered through a visa waiver program prohibiting employment or had overstayed their visas. Most detainees are held at a detention center in Folkston, Georgia.
HL-GA Battery Co. is cooperating fully with authorities and has temporarily halted construction to facilitate the investigation. U.S. authorities have labeled the raid as "the largest single site enforcement operation in the history" of Homeland Security Investigations.