Through Email from Governor Brian Kemp's Office
"Hyundai Motor Is an Important Investor and Partner"
Efforts to Prevent Reduction in Investment in the U.S.
Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun is taking a commemorative photo with attendees in front of the Ioniq 5 vehicle at the completion ceremony of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) held on March 26 (local time) in Ellabel, Georgia, USA. From left to right: Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Sonny Perdue, former Governor of Georgia; Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia; Jose Munoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. Provided by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia. Yonhap News Agency
The Governor of Georgia, where hundreds of Koreans were arrested earlier this month by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will visit South Korea. As U.S. President Donald Trump has belatedly expressed his intention to improve the visa system, seemingly conscious of the uncertainty surrounding investments in the U.S. by foreign companies including those from Korea, it appears that the state government is also moving in coordination.
According to local media such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) on the 21st (local time), the office of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp sent an email in both Korean and English on the 8th, stating, "The governor will soon visit South Korea and, accordingly, requests a meeting with Hyundai Motor Company officials." The governor's office emphasized in the email that "Hyundai Motor Company is an important investor and partner in Georgia."
The email was sent on the 8th, four days after ICE conducted a raid on September 4 at the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution battery joint venture construction site in Ellabell, Georgia, arresting a total of 475 people, including 317 Koreans. The detained employees returned to Korea on a chartered flight on the 12th, four days after the raid, but it is expected that Korean companies will become more cautious in making investment decisions in the U.S. Interviews with the repatriated employees have been released, leading to deteriorating public sentiment in Korea. President Trump initially stated that ICE's actions were "legally conducted," but, apparently conscious of the aftermath of the Georgia incident, asserted the need for skilled foreign professionals via the social media platform Truth Social on the 14th.
Amid these developments, it appears that the state government has begun behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent a reduction in investments in the U.S. However, Governor Kemp's office told the AJC that "the governor's visit to South Korea had been under discussion before the ICE arrests of Korean workers on September 4," clarifying that "the purpose of this visit is to strengthen ties with Georgia's economic, educational, and cultural partners." Trip Tollison, President and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, who is part of the delegation to Korea, said, "We have been working to strengthen the relationship between Georgia and Hyundai by meeting with Korean leaders, and this visit to Korea will be no different."
Although the specific schedule for the visit to Korea has not been disclosed, it is expected to take place around October. An international conference involving governors from other southern U.S. states is scheduled to be held in Japan on October 28-29, and it is highly likely that Governor Kemp will also attend this event.
The state government's position is expected to be complex. On the 16th, Governor Kemp stated, "This incident is not just Hyundai's problem. The U.S. visa system needs to be thoroughly reviewed," marking his first public comment since the ICE raid. He added, "We are currently discussing the visa issue with the White House," and emphasized, "This incident will not discourage foreign companies from investing in Georgia." In an interview with the Savannah Morning News (SMN) on the 17th, he also said, "We rely on Koreans, and we want them to return in time for the plant schedule." Philip Reiner, spokesperson for the Economic Development Authority, also commented that "the detained LG employees were in the U.S. temporarily to install equipment, provide support, and train staff," stressing that "they are skilled technicians with professional expertise."
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group has announced its intention to continue investing in the U.S. despite the recent incidents. On the 18th, Hyundai Motor Company announced at an event in New York that it plans to invest 77.3 trillion won over the next five years, including expanding production capacity at its plants in Georgia and Alabama and increasing the number of hybrid models in the U.S. market. However, Hyundai Motor Group expects that construction of its electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia will be delayed by at least two to three months due to the ICE crackdown.
Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) is also planning to hold a public recruitment event at the Savannah Technical College campus in Georgia on the 30th. According to local media outlet WTCO, this is the first public recruitment by HMGMA since the ICE raid on the 4th. In an opinion piece published on the 18th in a local media outlet, a local American employee also highlighted Hyundai Motor Company's contribution to local employment and the economy, explaining that "foreign professionals help with the initial production process through equipment installation and staff training" in relation to the ICE immigration crackdown.
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