South Korea vows ‘all-out efforts’ after mass arrests in US immigration raid

South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, has ordered “all-out efforts” after US immigration authorities arrested hundreds of South Korean nationals during a raid at a Hyundai-LG battery factory site in Georgia.

Foreign minister Cho Hyun said a taskforce has been set up and that he felt a “heavy responsibility” over the incident, adding he would travel to Washington if necessary.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed about 475 arrests in what officials described as the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security. A South Korean outlet earlier reported the figure could be higher, around 560.

The raid has rattled LG Energy Solution (LGES), which suspended overseas travel for staff and ordered employees in the US to return home after 47 of its workers were detained. The company said an executive will head to the US on Sunday.

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South Korea protests 'unjust' US immigration raid at Hyundai EV manufacturing site Over 475 workers detained as ICE carries out largest single-site operation in Hyundai factory

The factory, a joint venture between Hyundai and LGES, is a $4.3bn project to produce batteries for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis electric vehicles. Hyundai stressed that none of the detained were directly employed by the automaker and that its EV production was not affected.

DHS said the workers were undocumented, either crossing illegally or overstaying visas, and are being held at ICE’s Folkston facility in Georgia.

The arrests risk straining US–South Korea ties at a time when Seoul has pledged billions in investment under a broader trade deal.