More than 300 South Korean workers detained during an immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site near Savannah are now back home in South Korea.
A plane chartered by the South Korean government landed outside Seoul on Friday, September 12, carrying the workers who had spent several days at an immigration detention center in Folkston, about 285 miles southeast of Atlanta. Their release came after negotiations between U.S. and South Korean officials.
The raid has disrupted progress on the massive plant, which Hyundai says is central to its U.S. expansion plans. Hyundai CEO José Muñoz confirmed that construction is delayed at least two to three months while the company seeks to replace the hundreds of workers sent home.
The setback also raises questions about future investment, though Hyundai says it remains committed to its U.S. projects. The company recently increased its planned investment to $26 billion through 2028, up from $21 billion pledged in March.
For now, Hyundai says it will continue sourcing batteries from its Commerce, Georgia, facility while the Savannah site remains stalled.
Bloomberg’s Denise Pelligrini contributed to this story
