Trump: "Just Signed Trade Agreement With South Korea"
Calls for Training With Battery and Shipbuilding Experts
Trump: "I Understand South Korea's Concerns... Will Review the Issue"
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the recent incident in which hundreds of Korean workers were detained by U.S. immigration authorities during a raid at the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Georgia would not affect the relationship between South Korea and the United States.
On September 7 (local time), after attending the US Open men's tennis final, President Trump returned to Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., and told reporters, "Do you think this situation will strain South Korea-U.S. relations?" He replied, "No, it will not. We have a very good relationship with South Korea." He added, "It's really a good relationship. We just signed a trade agreement as well."
This marks a notably softer stance compared to his initial strong reaction. The day after the raid, on September 5 at the White House, President Trump had commented, "In my view, they were illegal immigrants, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was simply doing its job."
Previously, on September 4, U.S. immigration authorities conducted a large-scale raid at the construction site of the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, detaining 475 people, including more than 300 Koreans. The South Korean government has begun consular interviews to check on the health status of those detained.
On this day, President Trump said, "If there are not enough skilled workers in the United States who truly understand batteries, we should bring in some experts to train our workers so they can be deployed in complex fields such as battery manufacturing, computer manufacturing, and shipbuilding." He continued, "We will review this situation," and explained, "The United States has already lost many industries. The way to train workers is to bring in people proficient in the field, have them stay for a certain period, and receive their help."
President Trump further added, "We need to bring in experts to train our people so that Americans themselves can do the work." This is interpreted as a response to complaints that, despite attracting large-scale investments from foreign companies, the U.S. government has not issued enough employment and labor visas.
President Trump stated, "I fully understand the concerns raised by South Korea and will review them," signaling his intention to address the visa issuance issue in the United States.
However, he also reaffirmed his administration's principle of accepting foreign talent while making no concessions on illegal employment and illegal residency issues. On his social networking service, Truth Social, President Trump wrote, "I urge all foreign companies investing in the United States to respect our country's immigration laws." He also emphasized, "The United States welcomes foreign investment and encourages talented individuals with outstanding skills to enter through legal procedures and produce world-class products. The U.S. government will make this possible quickly and lawfully."
He also stressed, "What we ask in return is that you hire and train American workers," adding, "We will work hard not only to make our country more productive together, but also to become closer than ever before."
President Trump's stance is also reflected in the remarks of Tom Homan, the so-called "border czar" overseeing border and immigration policy in the Trump administration. In an interview with CNN, Homan was asked whether large-scale raids and arrests like the recent one at the Hyundai plant in Georgia would be expanded. He replied, "In short, yes," and stated, "We will conduct more on-site enforcement activities."
Within the United States, there has been criticism that the Trump administration, which has emphasized attracting large-scale investment and reviving manufacturing, is showing contradictory actions in its policies. U.S. media outlet Axios pointed out that this raid reveals a conflict between the Trump administration's flagship economic policy of "expanding domestic manufacturing" and its intensified immigration enforcement.
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