Seoul–Hyundai Motor Group has advised its employees to postpone non-essential business trips to the United States, following a sweeping immigration raid in Georgia that resulted in the detention of hundreds of South Korean nationals, industry sources said on Sunday.
According to a Yonhap news agency report, the automaker issued a notification to employees scheduled to travel to the U.S. next week, recommending they reconsider or delay their visits unless deemed urgent or essential. The advisory, sources say, is a precautionary measure in response to the recent immigration crackdown—even though no Hyundai employees have been detained.
The raid took place at a site jointly operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution Ltd., with over 300 South Korean nationals among the 457 individuals taken into custody. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has described the operation as “the largest single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security Investigations.”
Diplomatic Action Underway
In response to the incident, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is set to depart for Washington, D.C. on Monday afternoon, diplomatic sources confirmed. Cho is expected to meet with senior U.S. officials to finalize the release of the detained South Korean workers and push for safeguards to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“If necessary, I will visit Washington to speak directly with U.S. officials,” Minister Cho said during a government response meeting on Saturday.
Cho is also expected to raise concerns over the visa and documentation procedures for South Korean nationals employed in the U.S., and to emphasize the need for clearer guidelines for Korean companies operating in the American market.
White House Reaction
U.S. President Donald Trump voiced strong support for the ICE operation on Friday, referring to the detainees as “illegal aliens” and praising the raid as a decisive action to enforce immigration laws.
Though Hyundai and LG have not yet commented on the incident in detail, the diplomatic urgency and corporate travel restrictions underscore the broader impact the raid may have on U.S.-Korea business ties, particularly in the manufacturing and clean energy sectors where both companies have major investments.
Negotiations between South Korean and U.S. officials are reported to be near conclusion regarding the release of the detained workers, but concerns remain over the long-term implications for Korean expatriates and contract workers in the U.S. (Source: IANS)
