Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office

Workers are detained on immigration and labor violations during a raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the construction site of a Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution joint venture battery plant in Georgia, Thursday (local time), in this image captured from video footage by ICE. Yonhap

The Korean government said Sunday that talks with U.S. authorities to release more than 300 Korean workers detained in Georgia were finished, and that only administrative steps remained before a chartered plane would be dispatched to bring them home.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced the development at a high-level policy meeting in Seoul, saying the release as imminent thanks to swift cooperation among government ministries, business groups and companies.

“Once the administrative procedures are finished, a charter flight will depart to bring our citizens back. Until they return safely, the government will stay fully alert,” Kang said.

His remarks came about two days after the large-scale raid carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Homeland Security Investigations unit on Thursday (local time) led to the detention of 475 workers at the construction site of the HL-GA Battery Company, more than 300 of whom were Korean. The U.S. said the detainees were on short-term business or recreational visas that do not allow them to work.

“The government will take all measures to harmoniously achieve two goals — having the detained citizens released swiftly and stably carrying out the [battery plant construction] project," he said, vowing to work with industry and relevant agencies to improve visa rules to prevent a recurrence.

Earlier in the day, President Lee Jae Myung ordered his administration to treat the case as a top priority. “This happened in the course of a major investment project between Korea and the U.S. Our citizens’ rights must not be infringed, and their situation must be resolved swiftly,” Lee was quoted as saying by a senior presidential official.

After the raid, Cho Ki-joong, consul general at the Korean Embassy in Washington, visited the ICE detention center in Folkston, Georgia, on Saturday and began consular interviews with the detainees.

“We asked the U.S. authorities to ensure that our citizens face no undue hardship. Those interviewed so far appear to be in good health,” he told reporters after meeting facility officials.

ICE later released video footage showing workers in restraints, handcuffed and shackled, being led onto transport vehicles, sparking outrage in Seoul.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who chaired an emergency government task force meeting on Saturday, said that he was prepared to take the issue directly to Washington. “If necessary, I will personally travel to Washington to consult with the U.S. administration on this matter,” he said.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yun-joo also spoke by phone with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker. He expressed regret that the raid was conducted without prior notice, and that video footage of Koreans in custody had been made public. He urged the State Department to intervene to ensure a fair and rapid resolution. Hooker said that the U.S. government is closely monitoring the matter and is in contact with the relevant agencies, according to the ministry.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks during a joint task force meeting of the Overseas Koreans Protection Headquarters and diplomatic missions at Government Complex Seoul, Saturday. Yonhap

The affected companies have been also making their own efforts for the release. LG Energy Solution sent its chief human resources officer, Kim Ki-soo, to the U.S. to support detained employees and contractors. The company confirmed that 47 of its own employees and over 250 people from partner firms were among those detained.

The HL-GA plant, a $4.3 billion (5.97 trillion won) investment jointly funded by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, was scheduled to begin production later this year. Construction was halted following the raid.

Korean officials emphasized that the case must not jeopardize broader investment and trade ties with Washington. “On a legal technicality there may be issues, but these workers were not there to overstay visas. They were essential manpower dispatched as part of a legitimate bilateral project,” a presidential aide said.

The political fallout has already reached Seoul. The ruling DPK’s reformist group, named Better Future, urged Washington to treat Korean nationals with due respect in light of Korea’s major investment commitments. Rep. Oh Gi-hyoung, who leads the group, said the U.S. should “match its calls for Korean investment with proper treatment of our citizens,” emphasizing that visa delays often complicate legitimate business travel.

The main opposition People Power Party took a harder stance, accusing the Lee administration of failing to respond decisively.

"Only 10 days after the Korea-U.S. summit, an unprecedented case took place that 300 Koreans were detained at a symbolic site of Korea-U.S. manufacturing partnership," said Rep. Choi Bo-yun, the party’s chief spokesperson. "Lee's 'pragmatic diplomacy' made our citizens criminals and brought anxiety and humiliation to Korean companies."