South Korea probes US raid over potential human rights violations
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South Korea has expressed "strong regret" to the US over a recent raid detaining Korean workers, warning it may impact foreign investment and citizen rights.
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A protester wearing a mask of US President Donald Trump and others shout slogans during a press conference to oppose the military exercise called Freedom Edge near the US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025 (AP)
The South Korean government is investigating whether US authorities committed human rights abuses during a recent raid and detention of South Korean workers.
A presidential spokesperson said on Monday that South Korea has conveyed "strong regret" to the US while also formally asking that the rights and interests of its citizens be protected during law enforcement proceedings.
South Korean authorities will work with the relevant companies to thoroughly investigate any potential human rights violations or other issues, the spokesperson stated during a press conference.
The raid, which detained many individuals from South Korea, has raised tensions between the US and that country, with President Lee Jae-myung warning that it will discourage foreign investment into the US.
“The US doesn’t have such personnel, and they won’t give visas for our workers to stay and work,” Lee said, stressing the risks posed to crucial projects like the $4.3 billion Hyundai-LG plant.
US-South Korea ties challenged
This event has challenged the diplomatic ties between the countries, creating a paradox as South Korean firms are poised to make significant investments in America under a tariff-avoiding trade agreement.
More than 300 South Korean workers were sent back to their country on Friday, after having been held for a week following a raid at an electric vehicle battery plant in the US state of Georgia.
Approximately 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, were arrested in a raid on a Hyundai-operated plant on September 4. The operation was the largest of its kind since President Donald Trump launched his crackdown on illegal migrants.
After being detained since September 4, a group of 316 Koreans and 14 workers of other nationalities landed on a chartered Korean Air flight, where many, appearing exhausted and relieved to be back home, were seen carrying only small bags and wearing face masks.
According to US authorities, the raid was necessary because the workers were fully employed while in the US on B-1 business visas or the visa waiver program, which do not permit such work.
