00:00A sweeping immigration raid in Georgia is straining ties with South Korea
00:04after federal agents detained hundreds of workers at a Hyundai LG energy site.
00:11Federal agents stormed the construction site of a Hyundai LG energy battery plant
00:16under construction in Allabel, Georgia.
00:19They arrested about 450 workers, including more than 30 South Korean nationals.
00:24The facility is part of a $7.6 billion project billed as the largest manufacturing investment in Georgia history.
00:32Once finished, it's expected to supply batteries for Hyundai's electric vehicles and create more than 8,000 jobs.
00:40South Korea's foreign ministry lodged a formal protest with the U.S. Embassy.
00:44Officials say the rights of Korean companies and citizens must not be unfairly violated.
00:49Hyundai says none of its direct employees were detained,
00:53but LG Energy confirmed that some of its staff on business travel were held.
00:58Construction is paused while the investigation plays out.
01:01The raid comes just weeks after Seoul pledged $350 billion in U.S. investment
01:06following negotiations that set tariffs on Korean imports at 15 percent.
01:11One South Korean trade expert said repeat large-scale enforcements would, quote,
01:15hurt industrial cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea across various industries.
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