President Lee Jay Meongy said that South Korea will be “very hesitant” about investing in the United States after a huge huge raid at the Hyundai factory in Georgia last week.
More than 300 South Koreans who were arrested in the raid are scheduled to return on Friday. Their departure was delayed “Because of the circumstances on the American side,” the officials said.
“The situation is very confusing,” told me, noting that it is a common practices of Korean companies to send workers to help create factories abroad.
“If this is no longer allowed, creating manufacturing facilities in the United States will become more difficult … Make companies wonder whether it is worth doing at all.”
BBC called the White House to comment.
Last week, US officials detained 475 people – more than 300 of them are South Korean citizens – who said illegally working in the battery facility, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.
“This means insurance [higher] Classes or create new visa categories. “
“I think the United States will address this if they see it as a practical necessity,” he said.
He added that the departure of workers from the United States was late due to instructions from the White House.
President Donald Trump ordered to stop verify whether workers were ready to stay in the United States to continue work and train Americans, according to a South Korea Foreign Ministry official.
Many of its employees who have been arrested have different types of visas or were under the visa waiver program.
A The factory worker spoke to the BBC About panic and confusion during the raid. The employee said that the vast majority of detained workers are mechanics who install production lines on the site, and they were working by the contractor.
South Korea, a close ally in Asia, has pledged to invest tens of billions of dollars in America, partly to compensate for definitions.
The media in the country described the raid as a “shock”, with the Dong-A ILBO warning that it could have “a chilling effect on our business activities in the United States.”
YonhaP news agency published an editorial on Thursday, urging the two countries to “cooperate to repair cracks in their alliance.”
The timing of the raid, as the two governments participated in sensitive trade talks, sparked anxiety in Seoul.
The White House defended the operation at the Hyundai factory, and rejected fears that the raid could deter foreign investment.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump referred to the raid in a social media post and called on foreign companies to employ Americans.
Trump said that the United States government will make “possible and legal strength” to foreign companies to bring workers to the country if they respect immigration laws.
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2025-09-11 04:32:00
