South Korea, U.S. Finalize Talks Over Detained Workers in Georgia
South Korea has concluded talks with the United States to secure the release of more than 300 South Korean workers detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor construction site in Georgia, easing a diplomatic crisis that had threatened bilateral ties.
The workers, detained in what U.S. officials described as the largest single-site enforcement action in recent years, returned home Sept. 12 on chartered flights. Their release ended a saga that stunned South Korea and raised broader questions about the future of Korean investment in the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump had offered the workers the option of remaining in the United States, but only one accepted. The outcome comes as South Korea reassesses its companies’ operations in the U.S. amid heightened immigration enforcement.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had ordered “all-out necessary measures” to support the detained nationals, warning the incident could have “considerable impact” on future investment. The raid targeted hundreds of workers, most of them South Korean citizens, who were part of the massive Hyundai project in Georgia.
The incident underscored the delicate balance between Washington’s border security priorities and the concerns of allied nations with deep business interests in American manufacturing. While the immediate crisis has been defused, analysts say the raid may prompt South Korean firms to weigh political and regulatory risks more carefully before expanding in the United States.
For now, South Korea has welcomed the workers’ safe return, but officials acknowledge the episode may leave lasting strains on the economic partnership with Washington.
Evelyn Nam For The Teen Times teen/1760056159/1613367659
1. What warning did President Lee Jae-myung give about the potential impact of the incident?
2. Where were most of the detained workers employed at the time of the raid?
3. What balance did the incident highlight between U.S. security priorities and allied nations’ concerns?
4. How might this raid affect future South Korean investment in the United States?
1. How would you feel if hundreds of your country’s workers were suddenly detained abroad?
2. What do you think the workers felt when they were given the option to stay in the U.S. or return home?
3. If you were President Lee Jae-myung, what measures would you have taken in response to the raid?
4. Do you think South Korea should reduce investment in the U.S. after this incident? Why or why not?
South Korea has concluded talks with the United States to secure the release of more than 300 South Korean workers detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor construction site in Georgia, easing a diplomatic crisis that had threatened bilateral ties.
