Day: September 11, 2025

South Korean President Criticizes U.S. Immigration Raid on Workers

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung sharply condemned the immigration raid that led to the detention of hundreds of his country’s workers at a Hyundai and LG battery plant in Georgia. He emphasized that although these workers are set to be released and repatriated within hours, the incident “raises doubts” over future South Korean investments in the United States, reports 24brussels.

During a press conference commemorating his first 100 days in office, Lee stated, “They are scheduled to be released from the detention center at 3:00 p.m. Seoul time (06:00 GMT) today,” highlighting that these employees were engaged in crucial work for a strategic investment initiative involving both Seoul and Washington.

Lee clarified that the detained workers were not intended for long-term employment in the U.S.; rather, they were in the country temporarily to install essential machinery before returning to South Korea.

Labeling the U.S. immigration authorities’ actions as “deeply unsettling,” Lee warned, “South Korean companies are now questioning whether it is worth investing in the U.S. after such an unnecessary and damaging raid.”

This criticism came in the aftermath of a high-level meeting in Washington between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who had discussed enhancing U.S. manufacturing through South Korean investments in vital sectors such as shipbuilding.

According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Cho expressed outrage over the public nature of the arrests targeting workers responsible for transferring technology and expertise to support the U.S. manufacturing revival promoted by the Trump administration, prompting shock and resentment in South Korea.

He insisted that since these workers are not criminals, they should be allowed to leave the U.S. swiftly, without being subjected to humiliating measures like handcuffs.