Just over a month after the trade agreement between South Korea and the United States, Hyundai Motor Group’s new factory in the US experienced an unexpected ‘welcome.’ On the morning of September 4, hundreds of agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided and inspected the 3000-acre, $7.6 billion electric vehicle assembly plant. Employees were interrogated one by one, phones rang incessantly, some people jumped into sewage tanks to escape, while others were handcuffed and taken away on buses, causing panic and chaos on site.
The raid took place at the Georgia factory on September 4. Screenshot from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement video. This enforcement action led to the arrest of 475 factory employees, most of whom were of Korean descent. It was the largest immigration enforcement operation at a single location in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security.
The unexpected raid, conducted under allegations of labor rights violations and exploitation, has raised questions about the business environment in the US. The incident has also strained relations between the two countries, with South Korean officials expressing concern and seeking clarification from the US government. Hyundai Motor Group, for its part, has stated that it will fully cooperate with the authorities and conduct a thorough internal investigation to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations.
The enforcement raid has sparked debates about the treatment of foreign companies operating in the US and the need for clearer guidelines and protocols to prevent incidents like this in the future. As investigations continue and tensions simmer, both South Korean and US officials are working to address the issues and concerns raised by the raid, in the hopes of safeguarding the interests of all parties involved and maintaining a positive and conducive business environment for international investors.
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