‘Slapped in the face’: Hyundai Georgia raid tests US-South Korea alliance
The detention of over 300 South Korean nationals in the EV plant could chill future Korean investment and undermine bilateral ties
THE Sep 5 immigration raid at Hyundai’s electric-vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Georgia represents a significant diplomatic challenge between the United States and South Korea, one of America’s most important allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
What began as a routine immigration enforcement operation has evolved into a diplomatic incident that threatens to strain the broader US-South Korea relationship at a time when both nations need strong cooperation on regional security and economic issues.
The raid was unprecedented in its scale and execution. Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies took part in what officials described as one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent US history.
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