White House apologises to Hyundai after Georgia factory raid, CEO says

Hyundai chief executive José Muñoz has said the White House personally apologised to him following a major immigration raid at a Hyundai and LG operated battery plant in the US state of Georgia. Speaking at a business conference in Singapore, Mr Muñoz also said the governor of Georgia phoned him to express regret, insisting the raid had not been carried out under state authority.

The incident, which took place in September, saw more than three hundred South Korean workers detained at the factory. Images of workers forced to sit on the floor with their legs shackled caused anger in South Korea and sparked diplomatic tension between Seoul and Washington. The workers remained in detention for more than a week before being flown home following urgent discussions between the two governments.

Hyundai had warned shortly after the raid that the plant’s opening would be delayed due to labour shortages created by the detentions. During a panel discussion at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Mr Muñoz said he believed someone had made a misleading call to authorities that suggested illegal immigrants were working at the facility. He stressed that this was not true and said the incident had come as an unpleasant surprise for the company.

Despite the disruption, Mr Muñoz said Hyundai remains committed to long term manufacturing in the United States. He added that the political response from both state and federal leaders had been swift, with the White House assuring him that the raid did not reflect the broader relationship between the two countries.

Former President Donald Trump also commented on the raid when it occurred, saying he was strongly opposed to it. He argued at the time that the United States had a global understanding about the need to bring in foreign experts who could help set up specialised industrial facilities and train local workers in emerging sectors such as battery and electric vehicle production.

The raid had intensified tensions between Washington and Seoul, but the two countries reached a wide ranging trade agreement in October. Under the deal, reciprocal tariffs were reduced from twenty five percent to fifteen percent, and South Korea committed to investing three hundred fifty billion dollars in the United States. Officials from both countries said the agreement showed their commitment to strengthening economic ties despite recent disagreements.

The White House and the Georgia governor’s office have not yet commented publicly on Mr Muñoz’s remarks, but the CEO’s statements suggest an effort by US leaders to smooth over the diplomatic fallout. For now, Hyundai is moving forward with its plans in the United States, while South Korean officials continue to seek assurances that similar incidents will not happen again.