South Korea's government has held an emergency meeting and vowed to swiftly respond to the arrests of hundreds of its citizens in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US.
Seoul has dispatched diplomats to the site in Georgia, while LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, said it was suspending most business trips to the US.
US officials detained 475 people - mostly South Korean nationals - who they said were found to be illegally working at the battery facility, which is one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.
The White House defended the operation, dismissing concerns that the raid could deter foreign investment.
They were illegal aliens and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was just doing its job, President Donald Trump said following the raids. Video released by ICE officials showed Asian workers shackled in front of a building.
People on short-term or recreational visas are not authorized to work in the US, ICE stated, defending the necessity of the raid to protect American jobs.
The timing of the raid, as the two governments engage in sensitive trade talks, has raised concern in Seoul. Many of the detainees allegedly held business or waiver visas.
South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun expressed a great sense of responsibility, overseeing the emergency response to the situation.
LG Energy Solution announced it would send officials to assist and is making efforts to secure the release of detained individuals.
The incident has been characterized by South Korean media as a shock, prompting fears of its potential impact on future business activities in the US.
