7 September 2025, @DailyImmigrant — South Korea and the United States have finalized a deal to release more than 300 South Korean nationals detained during a sweeping immigration raid at a Hyundai–LG battery plant under construction in Georgia, with a charter flight set to bring them home once administrative steps are complete.
Raid Overview and Diplomatic Fallout
On 4 September 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted its largest-ever single-site enforcement action of the Trump administration, detaining 475 individuals at a Hyundai–LG electric vehicle battery construction site in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia. Over 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals, with LG Energy Solution reporting that 47 detainees were its employees, and roughly 250 were subcontractor staff, most of them South Korean.
Video footage released by ICE depicted workers in handcuffs and shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles—scenes that drew strong criticism and diplomatic concern from Seoul.South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister, Park Yoon-joo, communicated displeasure over the timing and public dissemination of the footage.Reuters
Negotiations Lead to Release Agreement
Chief of Staff to President Lee Jae Myung, Kang Hoon-sik, announced on 7 September 2025 that negotiations with the U.S. have concluded successfully. With just administrative procedures remaining, a chartered flight will be arranged to repatriate the detained nationals.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is expected to travel to the U.S. to oversee final logistics and follow-up talks.
Broader Context and Next Steps
The Hyundai-LG factory, still under construction, represents Georgia’s largest industrial development and a significant investment by South Korean firms.The raid has cast doubt on the stability of U.S.–South Korea economic relations, especially as it comes amidst ongoing negotiations and investment commitments—including Hyundai pledging up to $28 billion in U.S. expansions
South Korea has expressed that the rights of its workers and the integrity of its companies must not be unfairly infringed upon by U.S. enforcement actions.President Lee’s office has pledged to overhaul visa processes to prevent such incidents in the future.
ICE officials stated that many of the detainees entered the U.S. under B-1 visas or visa waivers that prohibit employment, or had overstayed legal status—underscoring a prolonged investigation into labor and visa violations.
Summary Table
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Raid date | 4 September 2025 |
| Location | Hyundai–LG battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia |
| Total detained | 475 individuals |
| South Koreans detained | Over 300 |
| LG employees detained | 47 (46 South Korean, 1 Indonesian) |
| Outcome | Release deal concluded; chartered flight to follow administrative clearance |
| Diplomatic reaction | Strong regret over video release; calls for better visa safeguards |
