South Korean workers detained during a massive immigration raid in Georgia 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 crackdown at workspaces across the country.
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.
This image from video provided by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows a person being handcuffed at the Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle plant, in Ellabell, Georgia, on Thursday. – Corey Bullard/AP
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 statement 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.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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