Hyundai Plant Raid: Trump Insists US-South Korea Relations Intact After ICE Detains 300 Workers

(MENAFN- Live Mint) United States President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns over a major immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in Georgia, asserting that the incident will not damage relations between Washington and Seoul.

“We have a strong relationship with South Korea; the Hyundai plant issue is not straining that relationship,” Trump said, responding to questions about the raid.

Also Read | Trump Admin to ramp up workplace immigration raids after arrests at Hyundai

The operation, led by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulted in the arrest of nearly 500 individuals last Thursday at the Hyundai-LG battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia. Among those detained were at least 300 South Korean nationals and 23 Mexican citizens, making it one of the largest single-site immigration enforcement actions under Trump's administration.

Why were so many workers detained?

US officials allege that many of those arrested were in the country illegally. Trump defended the raid, saying:

“I would say that they were illegal aliens, and ICE was just doing its job.”

However, the scale and manner of the operation have sparked outrage in South Korea, where officials criticised the US for releasing images showing detained workers in handcuffs and ankle chains being escorted onto buses.

Also Read | South Korea, US strike deal on release of Hyundai workers detained in Georgia How has South Korea responded?

In a swift diplomatic move, the South Korean government announced that the 300 of its nationals detained would soon be released and flown back home.

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung , confirmed the development:

“As a result of the swift and united response ... negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded. Only administrative procedures remain. Once these are completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our citizens home.”

Seoul has also pledged to streamline visa access for South Korean nationals working in the US to prevent similar incidents in future

Also Read | Hyundai construction site raid puts Trump's competing agendas in spotlight What role did LG play in the negotiations?

LG Energy Solution, a key partner in the Hyundai facility, confirmed that 47 of its employees were detained - 46 South Koreans and one Indonesian.

Company executive Kim Ki-soo travelled to Georgia to oversee the situation, saying:

“The immediate priority now is the swift release of both our LG Energy Solution employees and those of our partner firms.”

South Korean officials estimate that around 250 detained workers were employed by LG contractors, most of whom are South Korean citizens.

Could this impact US-South Korea economic ties?

The raid comes at a delicate time for US-South Korea relations . Both countries recently signed a trade agreement that includes a $250 billion investment fund aimed at encouraging South Korean companies to expand into American markets.

Park Yoon-joo, South Korea's first vice foreign minister, expressed her government's concerns to US officials, saying it was“lamentable” that such a raid occurred:

“The economic activities of our companies that have invested in the US and the rights and interests of our citizens should not be unfairly infringed upon during the course of US law enforcement.”

What happens next?

While the release of the detained workers is expected soon, the fallout from the raid may continue to reverberate. Trump is scheduled to travel to South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, a visit that could now take on greater diplomatic significance.

The incident has placed a spotlight on the intersection of immigration policy, international trade, and diplomatic relations, raising questions about how Washington will balance domestic enforcement with its global economic partnerships.

For now, Trump remains firm in his stance, signalling that the raid was simply an enforcement action and not a reflection of tensions with Seoul.

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