SEOUL, South Korea ─ A South Korean charter plane departed for the U.S. on Wednesday to bring home Korean workers detained in an immigration raid that took place in Georgia. The raid on September 4 resulted in the detention of 475 workers, with over 300 being South Korean, at a battery factory currently under construction adjacent to Hyundai's extensive auto plant near Savannah. Disturbing footage released by U.S. authorities showed some of the detained workers shackled similarly to prison conditions.
In response to the situation, the South Korean government confirmed that it successfully negotiated with the U.S. for the release of the affected workers. Local media captured images of the charter plane's takeoff from Incheon International Airport, with reports indicating that it is scheduled to return to South Korea on Thursday afternoon with the workers aboard.
This large-scale operation by the U.S. Homeland Security marks its most significant immigration enforcement move to date, as part of an ongoing mass deportation agenda. The raid specifically targeted Georgia due to the presence of numerous major South Korean corporations with significant investments in the region. Notably, just weeks prior, South Korea had pledged investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. under a new tariff agreement. This diplomatic context underscores the relationship dynamics between President Donald Trump and South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who recently held their inaugural meeting in Washington on August 25, 2023.
President Trump defended the immigration operation, asserting that the detained workers were in the U.S. illegally and emphasized the need for collaboration with other countries to train American citizens in crucial industries like battery and computer manufacturing.
In response to the situation, the South Korean government confirmed that it successfully negotiated with the U.S. for the release of the affected workers. Local media captured images of the charter plane's takeoff from Incheon International Airport, with reports indicating that it is scheduled to return to South Korea on Thursday afternoon with the workers aboard.
This large-scale operation by the U.S. Homeland Security marks its most significant immigration enforcement move to date, as part of an ongoing mass deportation agenda. The raid specifically targeted Georgia due to the presence of numerous major South Korean corporations with significant investments in the region. Notably, just weeks prior, South Korea had pledged investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. under a new tariff agreement. This diplomatic context underscores the relationship dynamics between President Donald Trump and South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who recently held their inaugural meeting in Washington on August 25, 2023.
President Trump defended the immigration operation, asserting that the detained workers were in the U.S. illegally and emphasized the need for collaboration with other countries to train American citizens in crucial industries like battery and computer manufacturing.
