Washington. More than 300 South Koreans have been arrested after US immigration officials raided a joint battery factory of Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions under construction in the US state of Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul confirmed this on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told an emergency meeting in Seoul that “more than 300 of the total 475 arrests are believed to be citizens of our country.”” ’

Print based on legal violations

Steven Srank, a special agent for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the raid was carried out at a Hyundai-LG joint factory in Alabel City on Thursday as part of an investigation into “serious federal crimes and allegations of illegal employment.” “This is not a normal immigration raid,” Said Srank, “it’s several months of criminal investigation

the result. ’

“The arrested persons were illegally residing in the US and working illegally,” he said. They have now been deported through the Department of Immigration and Border Security.

South Korea’s diplomatic response

“We are deeply concerned by this incident and feel a deep sense of responsibility,” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said. If necessary, I am ready to go to Washington and talk. Earlier, State Department spokesman Lee Jae-wong urged the US not to “unfairly harm the economic activities of our investors and the legitimate rights of our citizens” in the course of U.S. legal action. ’

Companies’ response

Lg Energy Solutions said on Saturday that 47 of those arrested were employees of the company, including 46 South Koreans and one Indonesian. About 250 people were hired through third-party contractors, most of whom were South Koreans, the company said.

The company has decided to suspend all business trips to the US except for urgent ones. “Employees deployed in the United States will be sent home as much as possible or temporarily detained in their homes,” a company spokeswoman said. “We have not directly employed any of the arrested persons,” hyundai motor company said in a statement.

Political context and investment

South Korea is investing billions of dollars to expand its companies in the United States. President Lee Jae-myung met with US President Donald Trump last month, following which South Korea announced it would invest $350 billion in the US. On the other hand, President Trump has pledged to revive the construction sector and deport illegal immigrants.

According to experts, this incident can pose a challenge to the trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries.