Atlanta: When Youngjin looked out of his office window and saw armoured trucks and immigration enforcement officers running around with guns, he was surprised, but not worried. The young South Korean was certain it had nothing to do with him. He was in the US only for a few weeks on a short-term visa, he thought to himself.

According to BBC, the situation quickly escalated when armed agents burst into his room, ordered him outside, handcuffed him, and attached chains to his waist and ankles before loading him onto a bus bound for a detention center. This unexpected raid shocked many South Korean engineers who were temporarily in the US helping to build an electric car battery plant run by Hyundai and LG, part of a US initiative to encourage foreign investment in local manufacturing.

LG stated that many of its employees who were arrested had various types of visas or were under a visa waiver program. They were taken aback by the raid since they believed their status was legitimate. "We just came out for a brief break and I could see a lot of people, officials with guns. As Koreans, we just thought they were here to arrest criminals, but then, they suddenly started arresting us," said Chul-yong, one of the detained workers.

Eyewitnesses described a scene involving helicopters, drones, and officers pointing guns at workers. Chul-yong explained that the experience was terrifying, particularly when officers pointed guns with red laser sights at them, causing some to shiver in fear. Even those who attempted to present their visa documentation were not spared, as Mr. Kim, another detained worker, recounted. He revealed that despite his efforts to clarify his status, he was shackled and detained.

At the detention center, conditions were harsh. Youngjin, an engineer and sub-contractor for LG, was scheduled to be in the US for five weeks to train staff on specialist high-tech equipment. Instead, he found himself locked in a room with 60-70 other detainees, facing freezing temperatures and inadequate amenities. "I had a panic attack. I just stood there trembling," he described. The water was undrinkable, smelling like sewage, and detainees received no blankets for the first two days.

As the raid's aftermath unfolded, South Korea's chief trade negotiator mentioned that US authorities may have overstepped during the operation. The incident has strained US-South Korea relations, especially following a trade deal where South Korean companies pledged to invest $350 billion in the US. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has expressed "deep regrets" over the incident, according to South Korean officials.

For Youngjin, who was in the US on a 90-day visa waiver program, the event has deeply shaken his trust in the US as a partner for South Korea. Despite being back home, he is still processing the ordeal. Mr. Kim, who believed his work was lawful under his B-1 visa, questioned why authorities detained them without clarifying their roles.

Chul-yong echoed similar sentiments, reflecting on the emotional toll the experience took on him and his colleagues. Many of the workers, he noted, are reconsidering their future participation in such projects. However, for some like Chul-yong, returning to this line of work is a necessity. "This is what I do. I've been doing this for 30 years. I've put my life into this work," he lamented, highlighting the difficult choices they face moving forward.