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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial | |
ARTICLE VIEW: | |
Workers detained in Georgia ICE raid to be sent back to South Korea. | |
Trump’s border czar says more such raids are coming | |
By Hanna Park, Yoonjung Seo, CNN | |
Updated: | |
10:03 PM EDT, Sun September 7, 2025 | |
Source: CNN | |
South Korean workers detained during a Thursday will be returned to | |
South Korea on a chartered flight following negotiations, an official | |
announced Sunday. | |
“Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been | |
concluded, after swift responses by the relevant ministries, business | |
agencies, and companies,” said South Korean Presidential Chief of | |
Staff Kang Hoon-sik. | |
“However, some administrative procedures remain, and once they’re | |
completed, a chartered plane will depart to bring back our citizens,” | |
he added. | |
The workers were among 475 detained Thursday during a large-scale | |
immigration raid at the Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia, which | |
houses an electric vehicle battery plant jointly operated by South | |
Korea-based companies Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. About 300 of | |
those detained are South Korean, officials said. | |
The operation was one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent | |
US history and the largest so far of President Donald Trump’s at | |
across the country. | |
And according to Trump’s border czar, more measures of this kind are | |
on the way. | |
Tom Homan was asked Sunday by CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the | |
Union” whether there will be more extensive immigration raids, like | |
the one at the Hyundai plant. “The short answer is yes, we’re going | |
to do more work site enforcement operations,” he replied. | |
The South Korean government has been actively working to secure the | |
workers’ release, along with the Korean Embassy in Washington, DC, | |
and the Consulate General in Atlanta. | |
“To prevent a recurrence of similar cases, we will work together with | |
the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the companies concerned, | |
to review and improve the visa system and stay status of people | |
traveling to the US for investment projects,” Kang said Sunday. | |
“The government will ensure that all necessary measures are | |
effectively implemented to achieve both the swift release of our | |
detained citizens and the stable implementation of the investment | |
projects.” | |
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung previously called for “all-out | |
necessary measures” to support the detainees. | |
In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for LG Energy Solution said the | |
company was cooperating with the process: “We will commit our best | |
efforts to ensure the safe and prompt return of our employees and those | |
of our partners.” | |
CNN has reached out to the State Department, Department of Homeland | |
Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Hyundai for comment. | |
In earlier statements to CNN, LG Energy Solution said its head of Human | |
Resources was traveling to Georgia to aid in the release of detained | |
South Korean nationals. | |
The company also said it was suspending most of its business trips to | |
the US, “Currently traveling employees are advised to immediately | |
return home or remain at their accommodations, considering their | |
current work status,” a statement read. | |
“The ‘prompt release’ of the detained individuals is our top | |
priority right now,” LG Energy Solution Chief Human Resources Officer | |
Kim Ki-soo said in the statement. | |
A spokesperson for Hyundai said in a Friday: “Hyundai is committed to | |
full compliance with all laws and regulations in every market where we | |
operate. This includes employment verification requirements and | |
immigration laws.” | |
Samantha Waldenberg contributed to this report, which has been updated | |
with new information. | |
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