Why South Korea Is Sending a Charter Flight to Bring Back Workers Detained in the US

Last week, US federal agents under President Donald Trump’s administration conducted the largest-ever single-site immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai–LG battery plant under construction in Georgia’s Ellabell, according to CNN. The $4.3 billion joint venture was intended to bolster electric vehicle manufacturing in the US, the report said.

What Happened at the Georgia Plant?

Armed with a judicial search warrant naming just four individuals, officers from multiple American agencies including the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI, ultimately detained 475 people, of whom over 300 are believed to be South Korean nationals.

Authorities said many of the detained individuals had either entered the US illegally, overstayed their visas, or were in violation of the Visa Waiver Program, which permits travel for business or tourism for 90 days but prohibits employment.

“This has been a multi-month criminal investigation,” Steven Schrank, special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations, told CNN, adding, “We have developed evidence, conducted interviews, gathered documents and presented that evidence to the court in order to obtain judicial search warrants.”

South Korea’s Diplomatic Response

The raid triggered widespread outrage in one of America’s closest allies South Korea, with President Lee Jae Myung calling the detentions “unjust infringements on the activities of our people and businesses” and vowing to prevent such actions from happening again.

Reports suggest Foreign Minister Cho Hyun left for Washington soon after to negotiate the safe return of South Korean nationals. Speaking on the matter, Cho reportedly said he would discuss creating a special work permit for Korean professionals and seek guarantees for future re-entry for the deported.

Meanwhile, a Korean Air chartered Boeing 747 with 368 seats is scheduled to depart for Atlanta as early as Wednesday and return the workers home, as reported by Reuters. “I do not know of another instance where a government has responded with chartering a flight,” immigration attorney Sarah Owings told CNN.

Legal Grey Areas and Visa Troubles

Some workers entered legally under the Visa Waiver Program, but their employment violated its terms, the report said, adding that others were possibly working under B-1 business visas, which also prohibit manual labor.

“This is not the normal course of business,” CNN quoted Atlanta-based attorney Jorge Gavilanes as saying. “It seems like it’s within South Korea’s best interest to try to get their people back as quickly as possible.”

Lawyer Charles Kuck told the American media network that two of his clients were detained despite arriving recently on waiver programs. While none of the detained workers were employed directly by Hyundai, about 50 worked for LG Energy Solution, and 250 for HL-GA Battery Company, which is a Hyundai–LG joint contractor.

Fallout and Reactions

The operation halted construction at the EV plant, and LG Energy Solution has since suspended most business trips to the US. “The ‘prompt release’ of the detained individuals is our top priority right now,” Kim Ki-soo, LG’s Chief HR Officer said, per CNN.

Meanwhile, a Realmeter poll cited by Reuters found that nearly 60% of South Koreans felt the US overreacted, while around 30% viewed the action as necessary.