South Korea Repatriates 300 Workers Detained in US Hyundai Plant Raid

More than 300 South Korean workers detained during a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai electric vehicle plant in Georgia will be released and repatriated following negotiations between the South Korean and U.S. governments. The raid, which targeted a Hyundai site still under construction in partnership with LG Energy Solution, resulted in 475 detainees, most of whom were South Koreans. South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home once administrative steps are finalized, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun scheduled to discuss the matter in the U.S. The raid occurred amid the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts, which have seen increased workplace raids and detentions, including of noncriminal immigrants. South Korean officials expressed concern over the impact on their nationals' rights and economic activities, especially given the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance and recent trade and investment agreements. The incident has raised questions about the disruption caused by U.S. immigration policies on international business and diplomatic relations.