Seoul to repatriate 300 workers after US raid at Hyundai battery site

South Korea is arranging a chartered Korean Air flight to Atlanta to repatriate over 300 of its citizens detained during a large-scale U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution battery plant construction site in Georgia. The raid, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the largest single-site enforcement action in its history, resulted in approximately 475 arrests, including 300 South Koreans currently held at a detention center in Folkston, Georgia. The Korean Air flight, a Boeing 747-8i with 368 seats, is scheduled to depart from Incheon as early as Wednesday. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret and vowed stronger protections for Korean workers abroad, emphasizing that those contributing to U.S.-Korea industrial cooperation should not face unfair barriers. He directed government ministries to monitor the situation until all workers return safely and pledged to collaborate with Washington to improve visa regulations and prevent future incidents. Additionally, South Korean Foreign Minister