South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated on Sept. 9 that he feels a "great sense of responsibility" regarding the recent detention of Korean citizens in the United States. He expressed his hope that such incidents, where the activities of Korean companies are "improperly infringed upon," would not happen again for the sake of South Korea-U.S. relations.
President Lee further mentioned that he has instructed all relevant government departments to engage in close consultations with the U.S. side to swiftly push for reasonable improvements in the related systems to prevent similar occurrences. He emphasized the need for "active negotiations to achieve substantial results."
The statement comes after U.S. immigration enforcement officers conducted a surprise operation on Sept. 4 at a battery plant in Georgia, jointly operated by South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution (LGES). The raid resulted in the detention of 475 employees who were found to be working without legal status, including over 300 Korean citizens.
In the wake of the incident, LG Energy Solution announced that it has suspended construction at the plant and halted sending its employees on business trips to the U.S. The company has advised staff scheduled for U.S. travel to remain in their current locations or return immediately. Similarly, Hyundai Motor Group has recommended that its employees postpone planned trips to the United States.
South Korean media and analysts suggest that this event could also impact other major Korean corporations currently building facilities in the U.S., such as Samsung Group and SK Group. There are concerns that if underlying visa issues are not resolved, similar raids could happen again, potentially adversely affecting future Korean investment in the United States.
Related News:
S. Korea to trial visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists starting Sept. 29 with 15-day limit
Comment