South Korea has raised alarm after United States immigration agents detained hundreds of workers in a dramatic raid at a Hyundai–LG battery factory site in Georgia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul said the action violated the rights of its nationals and investors. The raid forced work at the $7.6bn electric vehicle battery facility to a standstill.
“The business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the process of US law enforcement,” ministry spokesperson Lee Jaewoong said on Friday.
The Hyundai–LG project is the single largest foreign investment in Georgia and is expected to create over 8,500 jobs when completed. But this raid has now raised questions about how President Donald Trump’s tough new immigration crackdown might affect foreign investment in America.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said about 450 people were taken into custody during Thursday’s operation. South Korean media reported up to 560 detentions, including at least 300 South Koreans.
A South Korean government official confirmed that those detained were being held at an ICE facility. Diplomats have since been dispatched from the embassy in Washington and the consulate in Atlanta. Seoul is also forming a rapid response team.
President Trump has promised the “largest migrant deportation programme in US history.” ICE raids have become more aggressive since his return to office in January, with arrests of non-criminal migrants rising sharply.
Diplomatic and Business Fallout
South Korea pledged $350bn in US investment in July, partly to shield its companies from tariff threats under Trump’s “America First” trade policy. The Georgia plant is a cornerstone of that promise, supplying key batteries for Hyundai and Kia’s electric vehicles.
But the raid could undermine trust. Talks are ongoing at senior levels, as Seoul tries to balance its deep security alliance with Washington against its economic interests. The diplomatic tension comes at a time when both nations face pressure from China’s dominance in battery supply chains.
Trump has insisted that deportations target “the worst of the worst.” Yet, ICE data shows many detained are not criminals. This gap between rhetoric and reality is already causing political storms at home and abroad.
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