Lead: South Korea announced on 7 September 2025 that negotiations with US authorities have concluded to secure the release and repatriation of roughly 300 South Korean nationals detained during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai-LG battery construction site in Ellabell, Georgia; charter flights will follow remaining administrative steps.
Key takeaways
- More than 300 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were arrested in an ICE raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site in Ellabell, Georgia.
- Seoul says negotiations with US officials have been completed and that detained citizens will be released and flown home after final procedures.
- LG Energy Solution reported 47 employees arrested: 46 South Koreans and one Indonesian; roughly 250 detained are believed to be contractor workers.
- Video released by US authorities showed detained workers with handcuffs and ankle chains being loaded onto a transport bus.
- LG Energy Solution sent a senior executive to Georgia amid urgent efforts to secure releases and support affected employees.
Verified facts
The raid took place at a Hyundai-LG battery site under construction in Ellabell, Georgia. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out the operation, which is reported to be the largest single-site immigration enforcement action under the current nationwide campaign targeting undocumented workers.
South Korean officials said negotiations were ‘‘concluded’’ on Sunday, 7 September 2025, with only administrative steps remaining before detainees are freed. Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, said a chartered flight would be arranged once those procedures were complete.
LG Energy Solution has confirmed that 47 of its staff were arrested in the operation: 46 South Korean employees and one Indonesian national. Company statements indicate about 250 of those arrested were employed by a contractor working at the site, and that most of that group are South Korean.
Footage distributed by US authorities shows detainees in handcuffs and with chains around their ankles being placed on an inmate transportation bus. The images prompted rapid diplomatic engagement by Seoul and the deployment of company representatives to Georgia.
Context & impact
The raid comes amid an intensified US enforcement effort against undocumented migrants. Officials in Seoul and executives at LG Energy Solution have acted quickly to limit diplomatic fallout and to secure the wellbeing and return of detained workers.
Immediate consequences include paused construction activity at the site, legal and consular processes to verify citizenship and status for each detainee, and potential scrutiny of contractor hiring and verification practices. LG has signaled cooperation with authorities and support for affected staff.
- Operational impact: Construction schedules are likely to be delayed while workforce and legal issues are resolved.
- Diplomatic impact: The incident has spurred direct talks between South Korean and US officials to expedite repatriation.
- Corporate scrutiny: Contractors and staffing practices at large US manufacturing projects may face closer review.
“As a result of the swift and united response … negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded. Only administrative procedures remain,”
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to South Korea’s president
“The immediate priority now is the swift release of both our LG Energy Solution employees and those of our partner firms,”
Kim Ki-soo, LG Energy Solution executive
Unconfirmed
- Exact timing of the chartered flight for repatriation has not been publicly confirmed.
- Full details on the contractor employers and the legal status of each detainee remain under review.
Bottom line
Seoul says diplomatic negotiations have secured a pathway for the return of more than 300 nationals detained in an ICE raid at a Hyundai-LG battery construction site in Georgia, with company and government officials coordinating to complete administrative steps and arrange flights home. The case highlights tensions around US immigration enforcement and the vulnerabilities of migrant workers in large industrial projects.