South Korean President Warns of Hyundai Raid's Ripple Effect

Detained workers on their way home, after Trump explored idea of having them train US workers
Posted Sep 11, 2025 8:31 AM CDT
South Korean President Warns of Hyundai Raid's Ripple Effect
This image from video provided by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows manufacturing plant employees waiting to have their legs shackled at the Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga.   (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)

Hundreds of South Korean workers who were arrested at a Hyundai plant in Georgia last week began their journey home Thursday and are expected to arrive on Friday, reports NBC News. But South Korea's president is warning that the incident may have long-lasting implications:

  • President Lee Jae-myung said the immigration raid could make South Korean companies reconsider investing in America, per the BBC. "The situation is extremely bewildering," said Lee, noting that it's common practice for Korean firms to send workers to help set up overseas factories. "If that's no longer allowed, establishing manufacturing facilities in the US will only become more difficult ... making companies question whether it's worth doing at all."

  • The raid, which took place last week, saw US officials detain 475 people—over 300 of them South Korean nationals—alleging they were working at the electric vehicle battery facility without proper documentation. It is the administration's largest workplace enforcement operation to date.
  • The workers might have returned to South Korea sooner, but the Washington Post reports President Trump delayed things to explore whether they should remain in the US temporarily to train American workers. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun instead prevailed upon Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a "swift release"—with the possibility that they might return to the US.
  • The Post story sees a problem at play in the administration's policies: Trump "wants advanced companies from countries like South Korea to invest in the United States but hasn't provided the visa framework to enable them to set up their high-tech factories."

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