South Korea responds to ICE raid on Hyundai plant in Georgia
Story by Billal Rahman
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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta office are seen detained migrants suspected to have no legal status as part of an operation that saw 450 individuals were taken into custody© The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
South Korea has responded after hundreds of workers were detained during an immigration raid at Hyundai's battery plant in Georgia on Thursday.
"The economic activities of Korean investment companies and the rights and interests of Korean citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement operations," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"We are actively responding to this incident by dispatching the Consul General of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and the Consulate General in Atlanta to the site and instructing the formation of an on-site response team centered around the local embassy."
It added: "In Seoul, we also conveyed our concerns and regrets today through the U.S. Embassy in Korea and urged them to exercise extreme caution to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of Korean citizens are not infringed upon."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta office said that approximately 450 individuals alleged to be in the country unlawfully were taken into custody during the operation at Hyundai's plant in Bryan County.
The ATF said that it joined Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), and other partner agencies to conduct the operation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE) has not yet released details about the nationalities or legal status of those detained.
Hyundai Motor Group has made significant investments in the United States in recent years, including in Georgia, where it is building facilities related to electric vehicle and battery production.
This is a developing story. More to follow. |
