Kemp Visits South Korea After Hyundai ICE Raid

Gov. Brian Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp arrived in South Korea on a pre-planned economic mission to deepen ties and mark the 40th anniversary of Georgia’s trade office in Seoul. The trip gained urgency after an ICE raid at a Hyundai‑LG battery plant near Savannah detained 475 workers — including more than 300 South Korean nationals — and most detainees were repatriated, prompting a diplomatic incident. Kemp says he did not know about the federal operation until after it occurred and has spoken with South Korean officials and with President Trump and other White House officials to address concerns. Kemp’s delegation of state and business leaders will meet Korean industry executives to reassure investors and emphasize that one enforcement action will not derail long-standing ties. Hyundai has said it will proceed with a $2.7 billion expansion of its Ellabell EV plant, and Kemp has supported changes to short-stay visa rules tied to specialized workers affected by the raid. Georgia’s deep economic links to Korea — with major firms such as Hyundai, Kia, SK and QCells operating in the state and Korea among its top trading partners — underline the stakes of Kemp’s outreach.