The South Korean government announced on Monday that it will look into possible human rights violations stemming from the recent Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai factory in Georgia.
On September 4, during an operation led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 475 individuals were detained. In an agreement between the Trump administration and South Korea, 330 detainees—primarily Koreans, along with 10 from China, three from Japan, and one from Indonesia—were released. They departed from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport aboard a South Korean charter flight on Thursday.
The 316 Koreans returned home on Friday.
“The government is aware that a detailed review is underway with businesses to ascertain whether human rights violations have occurred,” Kang Yoo Joon, spokesperson for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, stated at a press conference.
Earlier, Lee referred to the raid as an “unfair infringement on civil and corporate activities.”
Some reports indicated that detainees faced inhumane conditions, noting that ICE agents did not inform them of their rights and that workers were kept in inadequate holding spaces post-raid.
The DHS’s investigation into potential illegal employment practices at factories has concluded. Hyundai, based in Seoul, has teamed up with LG Energy Solutions to manufacture electric vehicle batteries at its facility. Charles Kack, an immigration lawyer representing some of the detainees, mentioned that many were engineers and equipment installers in the US on B-1 visas.
B-1 visas allow individuals to engage in business-related activities in the US, which may include attending meetings or short-term training, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
On Sunday, former President Trump commented that he aims to encourage foreign investment in the US while ensuring it doesn’t deter outside businesses. He expressed a desire for foreign companies to bring skilled personnel to train local workers on complex products.
The Oka has reached out to the State Department and Homeland Security for further comments.
Updated at 2:07 PM
