SEOUL, Sept 7 (Reuters) – South Korea has expressed regret over the U.S. government’s release of photos and video footage showing the arrest of hundreds of Korean workers during an immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor car battery plant, warning that the incident could strain bilateral ties at a sensitive diplomatic moment.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided the factory near Savannah, Georgia, on Thursday. On Friday, ICE released images of workers shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles as they boarded buses after the operation.
Helicopters and armored vehicles were deployed in what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security later described as the largest single-site enforcement action in its history. Authorities said roughly 475 workers were detained, including more than 300 South Koreans.The crackdown comes just days after the first summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, where both leaders pledged closer cooperation on security and trade. Analysts warn that the mass arrests could complicate ongoing negotiations aimed at finalizing a long-delayed trade deal and narrowing policy differences between the two allies.
South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo conveyed Seoul’s concerns directly to U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker during a phone call on Saturday. According to a foreign ministry statement, Park said it was “regrettable that the incident occurred at a critical time, when the momentum of trust and cooperation between the two leaders, forged through their first summit, must be maintained.” He urged Washington to ensure a fair and swift resolution.
“The economic activities of our companies that have invested in the U.S. and the rights and interests of our citizens should not be unfairly infringed upon during the course of U.S. law enforcement,” Park stressed.
The incident has also sparked political backlash inside the United States. Lawmakers from Georgia, along with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said on Saturday they were “deeply alarmed” by the raid.
“Instead of targeting violent criminals, the Trump administration is going after immigrants at work and in communities of color to meet its mass deportation quotas. These senseless actions rip apart families, hurt the economy, and undermine the trust of our global partners,” their joint statement read.
President Lee Jae Myung has ordered an “all-out response” to the arrests. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told an emergency meeting on Saturday that he may travel to Washington to hold direct talks with U.S. officials if necessary.
South Korean companies have also moved quickly in response. LG Energy Solution, which is jointly building the battery factory with Hyundai, said on Sunday it had suspended all non-essential U.S. travel for employees and dispatched a senior human resources executive to Georgia to “ensure the swift and safe release of those detained.” Hyundai Motor, meanwhile, pledged to review its suppliers and subcontractors to ensure compliance with U.S. labor and immigration regulations.
When asked about the raid, President Trump defended ICE’s actions.
“I would say that they were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job,” he said on Friday.
The dramatic images of detained workers—some in yellow vests marked “Hyundai” or “LG CNS,” and even two reportedly pulled from a pond where they had tried to hide—have intensified the diplomatic fallout. With both governments navigating sensitive trade talks and security cooperation, the arrests have raised concerns that the trust built at the Trump-Lee summit could quickly unravel.
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