South Koreans detained in U.S. immigration raid arrive again house – NBC Los Angeles
A whole lot of South Korean employees detained in a U.S. immigration raid arrived in Seoul on Friday, ending a weeklong ordeal that has created enterprise uncertainty and strained relations with a key U.S. ally.
Greater than 300 South Koreans — 307 males and 10 ladies — have been amongst 475 folks detained within the Sept. 4 raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia by U.S. immigration and different federal officers who mentioned they have been investigating allegations of illegal employment practices.
The Korean Air aircraft was additionally carrying 14 workers of South Korean firms from China, Japan and Indonesia, whereas one of many 317 South Koreans determined to stay in the USA moderately than comply with “voluntary departure.”
Dozens of tv cameras have been arrange behind safety boundaries at Incheon Worldwide Airport exterior Seoul to seize the employees returning house with dignity, in what South Korean officers hope might be a salve for a public that was shocked and angered by pictures of their compatriots being shackled and handled like criminals by U.S. immigration officers.
A person protesting within the terminal held up an indication that learn partly, “Will we maintain investing within the U.S. regardless of backstabbing?”
One other unfurled a banner exhibiting a likeness of President Donald Trump in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniform carrying a bag of money. It learn: “We’re mates. Aren’t we?”
A banner exhibiting an outline of Donald Trump is displayed by a protester at Incheon Worldwide Airport in Incheon on Sept. 12, 2025. (Picture by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
The employees got here out of the bags declare in teams, accompanied by officers and law enforcement officials. Some waved, some carried baggage or different belongings, and plenty of have been sporting masks. There was some applause from onlookers as every new group emerged.
Greater than a dozen buses parked exterior the arrivals space waited to take the returning employees to be reunited with their households elsewhere.
South Korean employees arrive at Incheon Worldwide Airport in Seoul on Friday. (Picture by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
The aircraft, which was chartered by the South Korean authorities, took off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport round midday ET on Thursday, a day after South Korean officers had initially hoped.
The South Korean overseas ministry mentioned Trump delayed the repatriation with the intention to focus on with South Korea whether or not its detained nationals ought to stay within the U.S. to proceed their work serving to to arrange an electrical automobile battery plant being collectively constructed by South Korean firms Hyundai and LG Power Answer.
South Korean officers mentioned it might be finest for them to return house first after spending per week in ICE detention.
The employees have been launched shortly after 2 a.m. ET Thursday from the Folkston ICE Processing Heart in rural Georgia, with none bodily restraints corresponding to handcuffs — considered one of South Korea’s principal calls for in negotiations with U.S. officers.
Development on the $4.3 billion battery plant, a part of an even bigger advanced within the city of Ellabell that’s anticipated to create about 8,500 American jobs, has been delayed by at the very least two to 3 months, a spokesperson for Hyundai North America confirmed to NBC Information on Thursday, citing Hyundai chief govt Jose Munoz.
Of the detained South Koreans, 47 have been employed by LG Power Answer and the remaining have been employed by subcontractors. Hyundai, South Korea’s largest automaker, mentioned none of its direct workers have been detained.
In an announcement, LG Power Answer apologized to the employees and their households and thanked the South Korean authorities and others who labored to safe their launch.
“We’re profoundly grateful for the extraordinary efforts to not solely guarantee an unusually swift launch but in addition to fastidiously handle varied issues, together with guaranteeing that there might be no disadvantages upon re-entry,” the corporate mentioned.
“Above all, our firm deeply empathizes with the hardship endured by these affected.”
The employees have been within the U.S. underneath varied short-term visa applications which are generally used for enterprise journeys however whose actual pointers aren’t all the time clear. Many in South Korea have questioned the equity of the Trump administration instantly cracking down on a follow the U.S. has tolerated for years.
The incident has raised issues in regards to the potential impression on enterprise ties with South Korea, which has pledged $500 billion in U.S. funding, together with $26 billion from Hyundai, as a part of tariff negotiations.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who met with Trump on the White Home simply weeks earlier than the raid, mentioned Thursday that it may make firms extra hesitant to spend money on the U.S.
Artwork Wheaton, director of labor research at Cornell College’s College of Industrial and Labor Relations, mentioned it was commonplace follow for specialists from different international locations to journey to the U.S. to arrange and set up high-tech tools, particularly when it entails patents or different delicate info corresponding to battery cells for electrical automobiles.
The roles created by initiatives such because the Hyundai-LG battery plant are troublesome for American employees to do in the event that they haven’t been correctly skilled by these specialists, he mentioned.
“It’s not look when the South Korean authorities has to constitution a aircraft to deliver its residents house over alleged visa inconsistencies,” Wheaton mentioned. “It sends a message to different potential overseas traders that constructing crops right here carries danger of arrest or detainment.”
About 145 employees from different international locations, together with Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela, stay in detention after the raid. The Korean Metallic Employees’ Union and the United Auto Employees known as for his or her launch, saying their employers had pressured them to shoulder the visa danger.
“Capital should cease shifting the burden of recognized crises onto the backs of employees and as an alternative take full duty for guaranteeing a secure work atmosphere,” they mentioned in an announcement Thursday.
Janis Mackey Frayer and Ed Flanagan reported from Incheon, Jennifer Jett from Hong Kong and Stella Kim from Los Angeles. Steve Kopack and Minjun Cha contributed.
