In early September 2025, the Hyundai-LG battery plant project in Ellabell, Georgia, was the center of an international incident after U.S. immigration authorities detained hundreds of foreign workers. On September 4, 2025, federal agents conducted a large-scale raid, detaining around 475 workers at the plant site; a majority of them were foreign nationals brought in by subcontractors. Over 300 of those detained were South Korean citizens employed in specialized technical roles through LG Energy Solution’s subcontractors.
Hyundai and LG energy Solution stated that none of Hyundai’s direct employees were detained, highlighting that those affected were working for subcontractors under temporary arrangements. Many of the South Korean workers were reportedly engineers and equipment specialists, some of whom entered the U.S. with valid business visitor visas. While legal experts argued that this type of specialized installation and training work may fall under visa allowances, U.S. authorities maintained that many were in violation of work authorization rules.
The raid had immediate economic and political consequences. The plant, a $7.6 billion facility which would power Hyundai’s electric vehicles, was postponed two to three months in its startup timetable. It drew an immediate diplomatic reaction in Seoul, as well, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and President Lee Jae Myung denouncing the treatment of detained South Korean citizens, which was a violation of human rights since photos of workers who were tied up were shown. The authorities of South Korea immediately launched investigations and negotiated with American authorities.
From an American viewpoint, however, immigration enforcers backed the raid as a necessary step of upholding visa and labor laws. Foreign laborers filled jobs that belonged to American workers, according to US officials, who insisted the jobs needed to be done by Americans, given federal investments in domestic infrastructure production for clean energy. They insisted the raid was not specifically against the South Koreans but was part of a larger campaign against general visa class abuse and subcontractor loopholes. Authorities went on to claim that even though most workers entered America through the proper doors, hands-on work in factories went beyond the limits of their visas. Raid supporters insisted that upholding tight visa laws guarantees American workers displacement is averted and ensures that companies do the right thing and comply with the law in assembling large-scale federally subsidized infrastructure.
Ultimately, the U.S. agreed to release and repatriate most of the workers. Within days, 316 South Koreans returned home, while American authorities offered the possibility of allowing some to stay and help train U.S. employees. However, nearly all chose repatriation.
The raid also caused broader debate in South Korea about the risks of investing in U.S. manufacturing due to the unpredictable immigration enforcement. Some South Korean companies expressed hesitation over committing to future American business, using the raid as evidence of an unstable environment for foreign experts. Others pointed out that South Korea has been one of the United States’ closest industrial partners, supplying advanced technology and skilled engineers required to scale up America’s electric vehicle production. Losing access to these workers could slow down progress toward clean energy goals and weaken the U.S.–Korea economic partnership.
The raid also sparked outrage back in South Korea after images of chained workers went viral on the internet. The incident showed a perspective of the targeting of citizens of South Korea even though these workers were properly documented legally. Civil society in Seoul called for the government to increase safeguards for workers abroad, and business leaders called on both nations to devise more transparent labor mobility arrangements.
The raid on the Hyundai-LG plant hence not only disrupted a major industrial project but also strained relations between the U.S. and South Korea. As it raised questions about how to balance immigration enforcement with the realities of global high-tech manufacturing, the treatment of South Korean workers has left lasting concerns in both nations about trust, diplomacy, and the future of shared industrial projects.