September 13, 20251 yr As widely reported, on September 4 in its largest ever single raid, US ICE workers raided a Korean US$4.3 billion plant being constructed in the US State of Georgia. The plant was to make batteries crucial to car company Hyundai's plans to start making cars in the USA later this year. The plant would have created 8,500 jobs for Americans. After the South Korean Foreign Minister flew to Washington to seek assurances from Marco Rubio that none of the detained would be physically restrained, South Koreans are livid that photographs have appeared of the workers in handcuffs and shackles llike criminals. Seeing so many of their countrymen in chains was a reminder of olden times when Koreans were colonial subjects. Yesterday 317 Koreans finally returned home on a chartered Korean 747. The issue that prompted ICE to move against the Koreans is that whilst they all had visas, they were the wrong type of visa. This is a practice for South Koreans with specialist skills that has been going on for years without any complaints. Obtaining long term visas for South Koreans working on investment projects has long been an issue between both countries. Now a working party has been set up to examine the issuance of a new type of visa for specialist work similar to that undertaken by the Koreans. But how much South Korean investment will now find its way to the USA is under question, given the absolute fury among South Koreans. And this at a time when the USA is seeking foreign investment, especially from friendly countries and allies like South Korea. So Trump has shot himself in the foot - again! https://www.reuters.com/world/us/south-korean-workers-return-home-cheers-week-after-us-immigration-raid-2025-09-12/
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