The mass arrests at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia sparked outrage in Seoul and raised tensions between Washington and Seoul.
A chartered Korean Air flight carrying more than 300 South Korean workers touched down in Incheon on Friday, marking the end of a turbulent week following a large-scale US immigration raid. The workers were among nearly 475 people detained during an operation at a Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site in Georgia, the biggest immigration enforcement action at a single location in recent years.
Images of workers handcuffed and chained during the arrests triggered widespread anger in South Korea, where many viewed the incident as a betrayal by a key ally. Protesters greeted the returnees at Incheon International Airport, holding signs that accused Washington of luring investment only to criminalize foreign workers.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung condemned the raid as “bewildering” and cautioned it could undermine future business ties. Officials in Seoul pressed US authorities to allow the workers’ voluntary return without visa restrictions, a deal that was finalized after days of negotiation.
The controversy united politicians across party lines in South Korea, with leaders criticizing the treatment of workers and calling for stronger protections for investment-related labor. Polls indicated that more than 60 percent of South Koreans disapproved of the raid, underscoring the diplomatic strain.
Industry executives confirmed that the arrests are likely to delay construction at the $4.3 billion battery facility, a project considered crucial to the electric vehicle supply chain. Labor unions in Seoul demanded accountability, urging the US government to apologize and calling for South Korea to reconsider its investment commitments.
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