It Turns Out That 300 Of The 'Undocumented Immigrants' Held At The Hyundai Plant Are Koreans | Carscoops

      South Korea has announced plans to enhance its visa procedures for individuals traveling to the US for business purposes.

      The South Korean government is arranging a charter flight to repatriate workers from the US. According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), many of those detained lacked proper work visas. Among those apprehended were about 47 employees from LG.

      Late last week marked one of the largest immigration enforcement operations in recent US history at Hyundai’s factory in Georgia. Authorities arrested 475 people classified as “illegal aliens,” with nearly 300 confirmed as South Korean nationals. Following the raid, Washington and Seoul have come to an agreement to facilitate the return of the detained workers.

      ICE reported that a significant number of the detained workers were employed unlawfully, including individuals utilizing short-term and recreational visas that do not permit work. Steven Schrank from Homeland Security Investigations noted that some workers had entered the US unlawfully, while others who had legally entered the country were now on expired visas.

      The chief of staff for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Kang Hoon-sik, mentioned that the government is coordinating a charter plane to bring the workers home. He emphasized that the rights of South Korean nationals and the economic operations of Hyundai and other South Korean companies should not be adversely affected during ongoing enforcement actions.

      In response to the raid, South Korea has expressed intentions to bolster its visa system for citizens traveling to the US for business. The government highlighted significant investment initiatives, such as Hyundai’s joint venture with LG Energy Solution in Georgia, as areas requiring enhanced scrutiny.

      "We welcome all companies interested in investing in the U.S., and if they need to bring in workers for construction or other projects, that’s acceptable – but they must adhere to legal processes," Schrank stated. "This operation delivers a clear message that those who take advantage of the system and undermine the workforce will face consequences."

      LG Energy Solution has reported that around 47 of its 250 contracted workers at the site were detained and has requested its South Korean employees to return from business trips in the US due to the ICE operation.

      The action at the Hyundai factory was the largest enforcement initiative in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security. NPR noted that most of those detained were transported to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, and as of Friday, none had been charged with any offenses.