US and South Korea reach agreement for the liberation of Hyundai factory employees detained in an immigration roundup in Georgia.

In a significant turn of events, over 300 South Korean nationals who were detained during a US immigration raid at a Hyundai plant under construction in Georgia will be released and repatriated. The raid, one of the largest workplace operations under the Trump administration's mass deportation drive, sparked shock in South Korea, a close US ally, particularly as it followed major bilateral commitments.

The site of the raid, Hyundai's EV and battery production site, is Georgia's largest economic development project, a flagship project with LG Energy Solution. The video released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed workers being frisked, shackled, and lined up outside buses.

According to Homeland Security Investigations' Georgia lead, Steven Schrank, the investigation into the matter is ongoing. None of the detainees have been charged, he confirmed. The detainees consisted mostly of South Korean nationals, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, with more than 300 South Koreans among those detained.

The raid took place on Thursday, just two weeks after President Lee met US President Donald Trump in Washington for their first summit. In July, Seoul agreed to purchase $100 billion in US energy and invest $350 billion in the US after securing tariff concessions.

In response to the raid, President Lee criticised the operation, demanding "an all-out response" and warning that the rights of South Korean nationals and companies must not be "unfairly infringed upon." The South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed "concern and regret" and dispatched diplomats to Georgia to assist.

Seoul and Washington have finalised negotiations for the workers' release. Once remaining administrative procedures are complete, a chartered plane will bring the workers home. The South Korean government has also announced that it will review and strengthen visa systems for citizens traveling to the US for investment projects, as per Kang.

The raid at Hyundai's plant has raised concerns about the treatment of foreign workers in the US, particularly given the close bilateral relations between the two countries. The incident will likely be a topic of discussion in future meetings between the two nations.

US and South Korea reach agreement for the liberation of Hyundai factory employees detained in an immigration roundup in Georgia.