Hyundai CEO Learns About Immigration Enforcement Action at Georgia Electric Vehicle Factory Via Television News Report
In a surprising turn of events, more than 300 South Korean workers were detained during a raid at the Hyundai-LG Battery Plant in Georgia earlier this month. The US Department of Homeland Security conducted its largest single-site enforcement operation at the plant, leading to the deportation of these specialized workers back to South Korea last week.
The battery plant, operated by South Korea's LG Energy Solution, is part of Hyundai's significant investment in the United States. The company has invested billions of dollars, including the EV battery plant in Ellabell, as part of the largest economic development project in Georgia's history. Hyundai's CEO, José Muñoz, found out about the raid on the news while he was in his California office.
Munoz has since been in touch with the Trump administration, expressing his concerns and compassion to the workers and their families affected by the raid. He stated that the company has had to transfer workers from other plants to compensate for the lost labor due to the deportation.
Activities in the battery factory requiring specific expertise are not available in the United States, Munoz mentioned. He suggested the need for a special visa for foreign workers with specialized skills, allowing them to enter and exit the United States multiple times.
The South Korean government is cooperating with the US government to prevent events like the raid from happening again. South Korea has demanded that the rights of its citizens working in the US be respected and has taken diplomatic steps, including sending its Foreign Minister to the US to discuss the matter.
Despite the setback, Hyundai has reaffirmed its investment plans for phase two of the Georgia complex, amounting to $2.7 billion and creating 3,000 new jobs. The delay caused by the raid is estimated to be around two to three months.
Munoz also mentioned that countries like Canada, Mexico, Singapore, and Chile have such visas for specialized workers, but South Korea does not. He stated that nobody can say they are exempt from everything, expressing his concern about the possibility of a similar raid happening again.
The Hyundai-LG Battery Plant in Ellabell, Georgia, is a significant part of Hyundai's global strategy, and this incident has highlighted the need for a more streamlined process for foreign workers with specialized skills. The company, along with the South Korean and US governments, is working together to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
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