US, South Korea Reach Deal to Release Over 300 South Koreans Detained by ICE

South Korea and the US have reached a deal to release over 300 South Koreans detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Hyundai factory in Georgia.

The Details: South Korea and the US are discussing details on "allowing the detained workers to return on a voluntary basis." South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is expected to travel to the US on Monday afternoon for talks related to the release of the workers. Once the administrative procedures are completed, South Korea will send a charter plane to bring the detainees home.

Key Quote: "I am hereby calling on all Foreign Companies investing in the United States to please respect our Nation's Immigration Laws," Trump said in a social media post on Sunday.

For Context: The South Koreans were arrested at a Hyundai factory on September 5th following a multi-month investigation where agents reportedly encountered “hundreds” of unauthorized immigrants working at the facility. Hyundai claimed none of the workers at the electric vehicle plant were directly employed by the company, though it owns the plant. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) has touted the factory, which employs 1,200 people, as the "biggest economic development project in the state's history."

How the Media Covered It: Sources across the political spectrum noted that workplace raids have become common as part of the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda. It was also widely reported that this particular raid came as a surprise to South Korea because it is a key US ally. The country agreed in July to make a $350 billion investment in the US and purchase $100 billion in US energy in return for the US lowering tariff rates.

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Suggest an improvement to this summary.