Ellabell: U.S. immigration authorities have detained approximately 450 employees at Hyundai Motor Group's manufacturing facility in Georgia during a recent raid, as part of an investigation targeting undocumented individuals in workplaces.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations dispatched agents to Hyundai's plant in Ellabell, Bryan County, to execute a search warrant. Among those detained were over 30 South Koreans on business travel from Seoul, who now face potential charges related to illegal stay.

The South Korean nationals reportedly entered the United States on B1 visas, designated for business activities such as meetings or contract signings, or through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization visa waiver program for short-term stays. In response to the detentions, the South Korean consulate in Atlanta is assembling a legal team, including Korean American lawyers, to visit the facility where the workers are held.

A foreign ministry official in Seoul has stated that the ministry is actively collecting information to understand the situation better and is in communication with the company regarding the incident. The plant in question is part of a joint venture between Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution, aimed at building a new battery plant for electric vehicles, representing a significant foreign investment in Georgia.