• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

ROK President Lee orders swift response to US immigration agents arresting hundreds of Korean workers at Hyundai plant: report

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Sep 07, 2025 12:11 PM

Following the arrests of hundreds of Korean workers in a US immigration raid on a Hyundai Motor factory, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered all-out efforts on Saturday to swiftly respond to the incident, Reuters reported.

South Korean foreign affairs authority said on Saturday that the US's crackdown and public disclosure of photos and a video of the arrest of hundreds of Korean workers were regrettable, especially as the incident followed so closely after a summit between the two nations' leaders, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Saturday that he may visit the US to discuss with Washington the arrests, according to multiple media report.

US immigration officials raided a Hyundai Motor car battery factory on Thursday and later released a video and photos of workers shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles getting on a bus after the raid, according to Reuters on Sunday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho presided over an emergency meeting on the immigration crackdown, confirming that more than 300 out of 457 people who were taken into custody are South Korean nationals, Yonhap News Agency (YNA) reported.

"We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over the arrests of our nationals," Cho said at the start of the meeting, attended by two vice ministers, officials from the ministry and overseas missions, per the report by YNA.

Cho also said Saturday he may visit the US to discuss the incident with Washington.

Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na expressed regret and concern over the crackdown during a meeting with acting US Ambassador to Seoul Joseph Yun on Thursday, Cho said. Later in the day, First Vice Minister Park Yoon-joo held a phone call with Allison Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, to discuss bilateral and international issues, YNA reported.

Park requested the State Department's cooperation regarding the matter and expressed regret over the crackdown and the public disclosure of the scene where South Korean nationals were being arrested.

Park also reiterated that the economic activities of South Korean companies investing in the US and the rights and interests of South Korean nationals should not be unfairly infringed upon during US law enforcement processes, and emphasized that the State Department should also actively step in for a fair and swift resolution of the matter, The Chosun Daily reported.

According to NBC News, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as Homeland Security Investigations and other federal agencies were involved in the operation on Thursday, which an ICE spokesperson said was conducted in connection with an investigation into "unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes."

US President Donald Trump previously said Friday the arrested people are "illegal aliens" and the immigration officials were "just doing their job," The Korea Times reported.

Another report by Reuters also noted that the arrests could exacerbate tensions between Washington and Seoul, a key ally and investor in the US. The countries have been at odds over the details of a trade deal that includes $350 billion of investments. At a summit last month, South Korea pledged $150 billion in US investments - including $26 billion from Hyundai Motor.