Seoul: A chartered Korean Air Co. plane is scheduled to depart for the United States this week with a mission to bring back hundreds of South Korean workers detained following an immigration raid at a battery plant construction site in Georgia, according to industry sources.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Korean Air is preparing to deploy a Boeing 747-8i aircraft, expected to leave as early as Wednesday from Incheon International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The aircraft, with a capacity of 368 seats, is intended to accommodate the more than 300 South Korean workers taken into custody.
The chartered flight will travel empty to the United States and is anticipated to depart Atlanta late Wednesday, local time, carrying the released workers back to Incheon. The South Korean nationals are being held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Folkston, Georgia, approximately 428 kilometers from Atlanta.
Initially, the return flight was considered to depart from Jacksonville International Airport in Florida, located about a 50-minute drive from the detention facility. However, the plan was abandoned due to logistical challenges with operating large aircraft at that airport. Atlanta was selected as the final departure point instead.
Industry sources have estimated the cost of the round-trip charter operation to be around 1 billion won (US$7.21 million), with LG Energy Solution taking responsibility for covering the expenses. The immigration raid occurred on Thursday at a construction site for an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution Ltd., in Bryan County near Savannah, Georgia.
The raid resulted in the arrest of 475 individuals, including the South Korean workers. ICE reported that those detained were found to be working illegally in the United States, with many holding short-term or recreational visas that prohibit employment. The South Korean government has been working to facilitate the voluntary return of the detained workers rather than subjecting them to deportation. U.S. immigration authorities initially offered two options: immediate deportation with a five-year ban on entry into the U.S. or a monthslong trial under detention.
The incident has sparked significant concern among South Korean companies, leading many to question the reliability of the U.S. as a viable destination for their investments. This situation has reportedly prompted companies to reassess risks and evaluate the broader political climate for conducting business in America.