South Korea Plans Return of 300 Workers Detained in Georgia Raid

More than 300 South Korean workers detained during a large immigration raid at a Hyundai electric vehicle battery plant construction site in Georgia are set to be released and returned to South Korea following negotiations between the U.S. and South Korean governments. The raid, conducted under President Donald Trump's administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown, involved detaining 475 people, most of whom were South Korean nationals, and sparked concern due to South Korea's status as a key U.S. ally and recent economic agreements including significant investments and energy purchases. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is traveling to the U.S. to finalize arrangements for the workers' release, with plans to send a chartered flight to bring them home as soon as administrative details are settled. The South Korean government emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of its nationals and ensuring that economic activities by South Korean companies in the U.S. are not unfairly impacted. The U.S. administration defended the operation, with President Trump stating on social media that while it supports bringing in foreign technical talent legally, companies must prioritize hiring and training American workers. The workers are expected to return voluntarily rather than face formal deportation, which could affect their future ability to travel to the U.S.