South Korea to fly detained workers back as US vows more raids on employers

SEOUL/WASHINGTON – South Korea is

moving to pick up Korean workers

following a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in the US state of Georgia last week, a presidential official in Seoul said on Sept 7, as the Trump administration promised more raids on businesses.

The negotiations to release about 300 South Koreans who were detained have concluded and processing for their release is under way, South Korea’s presidential office said late on Sept 7.

A chartered plane will bring them back once processing by both countries is complete, the office said in a statement. It did not provide details of the administrative steps being taken.

The Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Consul-General in Washington Cho Ki-joong as saying the workers will likely board a plane on Sept 10.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representatives did not respond to a request for comment, while White House border czar Tom Homan separately vowed to expand immigration raids on workplaces.

Later on Sept 7, US President Donald Trump sounded more conciliatory while still driving home his vow to enforce tough immigration policy, calling on foreign companies investing in the US to “respect our nation’s immigration laws”.

“Your investments are welcome, and we encourage you to legally bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build world-class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” he said on his social media platform.

Mr Trump made the post shortly after telling reporters he would look into what happened, but added that the incident had not harmed his relationship with South Korea.

US federal agents arrested about 475 workers at Hyundai’s car battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, on Sept 4 in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the DHS’ investigative operations.

Mr Trump campaigned on making immigration a pillar of his administration and has ramped up deportations nationwide since taking office in January.

He has also buttressed his economic plan in large part on wooing other countries and foreign businesses to invest in the US.

The round-up of 475 workers, including about 300 South Koreans at the major Hyundai Motor car battery plant under construction, caused shock and dismay in Seoul as it came just 10 days after a

summit between the US and South Korean presidents

where they pledged closer business ties.

The South Korean government expressed regret over the arrests and the release of footage showing a major operation by US immigration officers in armoured vehicles detaining workers who were shackled and taken away.

The DHS said earlier that the operation was executed under a judicial search warrant for alleged unlawful employment practices.

A customs official said many of those arrested did not have proper immigration authorisation to work at the site.

Autos big part of South Korean investments in US

Mr Kang Hun-sik, South Korea’s presidential chief of staff, said on Sept 7 that the government will seek ways to improve the visa system for Korean workers travelling to the US to “prevent a similar incident”.

The DHS has said the arrested workers were barred from working in the US after crossing the border illegally or overstaying visas.

Relations remain fraught between Washington and Seoul, a key US ally and investor, as both sides seek to hammer out final details of their trade deal announced in July.

The trade deal includes a

US$350 billion (S$450 billion) fund

to help Korean companies enter the US market, while Hyundai said it would boost its US investments to US$26 billion, including a robotics facility.

Seoul is bracing itself for the impact on its auto sector of a lower tariff on Japanese cars imported to the US, while the duty on South Korean autos remains at 25 per cent. Autos are a major export industry for South Korea’s trade-reliant economy.

The site of the raid was a US$4.3 billion project to produce electric vehicle batteries, with Hyundai and LG Energy Solution each holding a 50 per cent stake as part of one of the largest economic development projects in Georgia’s history.

LG Energy Solution has suspended staff business trips to the US, other than certain exceptional cases, and will recall employees currently there.

Mr Trump may visit South Korea in October for the gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event, CNN reported on Sept 6, citing three Trump administration officials. REUTERS