South Korea’s government has said it will launch an investigation into whether human rights violations were committed when hundreds of its citizens were detained in a US immigration raid.
After delicate diplomatic negotiations, the detained South Korean workers were released and flown back to Seoul.
“Together with the company concerned, we are conducting a more thorough review into possible human rights infringements.” One of the workers told Yonhap News Agency that their rights were not read when they were arrested.
South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, called the raid “bewildering” and noted it could have a chilling effect on future investment.
South Korean companies “can’t help but question whether setting up a plant in the US is worth the potential risks”, Lee said.
Following a US immigration raid that resulted in the detention of hundreds of its citizens, the South Korean government has announced that it will begin an investigation to determine whether human rights violations occurred.
On September 4, approximately 475 people, primarily South Koreans, were taken into custody at the Georgia electric vehicle battery factory construction site.
Ever since US President Donald Trump began a broad immigration crackdown, the raid was the biggest single-site operation. South Korea was shocked to see the workers handcuffed and chained, and Seoul responded with a severe reprimand.
The South Korean workers who had been detained were freed and flown back to Seoul following delicate diplomatic negotiations. During their arrest, some employees told local media about terrible conditions, including claims they were detained without being told of their rights.
In response to inquiries regarding those claims, the Seoul presidential office stated that it was carrying out a “thorough review.”.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told a press briefing, “We and the United States are checking to see if there were any shortcomings in the measures taken, and companies are also looking into it.”. We are working with the concerned company to carry out a more comprehensive investigation into potential violations of human rights. “.”.
They were arrested without having their rights read, one of the employees told Yonhap News Agency. Additionally, the employee told the agency that they were upset that Ice agents made fun of them by calling them “North Korea” and “rocket man,” derogatory terms Trump has used in the past to refer to Kim Jong-un, the leader of Pyongyang.
The raid was described as “bewildering” by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who also pointed out that it might deter future investment. Companies in South Korea “can’t help but wonder if establishing a plant in the US is worth the potential risks,” Lee stated.
In what appeared to be a reaction, Trump stated on Sunday that he did not want to frighten investors and that foreign workers were “welcome.”.
On his Truth Social platform, he wrote, “I don’t want to scare off or disincentivize investment.”.
