Hyundai’s top boss, Euisun Chung, has promised to boost the company’s role in the US economy, despite a major setback at its new battery plant in Georgia. The project hit a snag after a surprise immigration raid last week detained hundreds of South Korean workers, delaying construction by months.
Speaking at an event in Detroit organized by Automotive News, Chung called the United States Hyundai’s largest and most vital market. He stressed that the South Korean automaker wants to “contribute more” by ramping up investments and rolling out eco-friendly cars. With rising demand for green transportation in the US, Hyundai plans to keep pushing electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered models.
Chung sounded relieved about the detained workers, saying he’s glad the hundreds of South Koreans from the Bryan County site near Savannah, Georgia, are heading home safely. The raid involved 316 Korean workers who were released and flown back on a chartered plane from a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, on Thursday. US authorities explained that these workers were on short-term visitor visas, like B-1 visas or the visa waiver program, which don’t allow employment—they were caught working illegally on the site.
Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz confirmed the immigration raid will push back the Georgia battery plant’s launch by at least two to three months. This joint venture with LG Energy Solution Ltd. now faces labor shortages, slowing down what was meant to be a big step for Hyundai’s US electric vehicle plans.
Experts in South Korea worry this incident could cause bigger delays in other Korean investments in the US. Many say it might even strain ties between Seoul and Washington. Still, Chung hopes both countries will team up to create a smoother system for future projects, ensuring stable cooperation ahead.
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