The recent immigration raids in Georgia, resembling counterterrorism operations, have shaken the confidence of many Koreans who believed in the promise of South Korea-U.S. partnership. On September 4, at the Hyundai/LG Energy Solution plant facility, more than 300 Korean workers – citizens of a long-standing ally of the U.S. – were detained, placed in shackles, and subjected to public humiliation. These individuals were not criminals. They were highly trained experts who had come to Georgia to contribute their skills, create jobs, and strengthen a shared vision for prosperity.
For Koreans, this incident was more than a moment of indignity; it raised a fundamental question: Is the U.S. a safe and welcoming place for the very investments its leaders once championed?
Since 2022, South Korea has made a historic and open commitment to the state of Georgia. This specific investment by Hyundai/LG Energy Solution – which is one of the largest foreign investments in the United States – is projected to create more than 8,100 jobs and bring billions in economic benefits to Georgia’s local communities. This achievement was publicly celebrated by Governor Brian Kemp and Congressman Buddy Carter as a triumph for Georgia’s economy and workforce.
It is deeply troubling when political leaders turn around and applaud such actions of the Trump administration under the banner of protecting American workers, while overlooking the fact that these Korean professionals came not to “displace” American jobs but to “build” new ones. The rhetoric of “illegal immigration” simply does not explain such cases.
I would like to ask: What if the Korean government started to examine the visa status of the tens of thousands of U.S. citizens illegally teaching English in Korea and even went so far as to chain them and throw them into detention? How would the U.S. respond?
This is why legislative action matters. The Partner with Korea Act, for example, was proposed to provide Korean professionals with the proper visas and the assurance that their contributions will be respected. Failure to support such measures sends a dangerous message – not only to South Korea but to every trusted U.S. ally – that goodwill and investment may be met with hostility rather than partnership.
The U.S. and Korea have stood shoulder to shoulder for decades, bound by shared sacrifice and shared values. To see that bond eroded by mortification and mistreatment is profoundly disappointing. If incidents like this continue without correction, they will inflict lasting damage on both trust and dignity, and cast a long shadow over one of the most important alliances the U.S. has.
Partnerships must be built on respect. We deserve much better.