José Muñoz, the chief executive of Hyundai, addressed a panel of business leaders in Singapore, detailing the aftermath of a controversial immigration raid at a Georgia factory. The tragic event also resulted in the arrest of more than 300 South Korean laborers. This escalation has further inflamed relations between the United States and their close ally in South Korea, leading to a swift response from the White House.
During Muñoz’ remarks at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, he disclosed that he received a personally delivered apology from the White House. He raised the importance of this recognition in relation to the raid. He reiterated that there was no change to Hyundai’s longterm plan to continue making cars in the U.S. The raid occurred in September when U.S. immigration officials detained workers at a battery plant operated by Hyundai and LG. The workers were reportedly forced to sit on the factory floor while officers shackled their legs, further escalating concerns about treatment and legality.
The governor of Georgia, Osmond Chia, contacted Muñoz in the wake of the incident, stating his perplexity at the entire case. He stated, “I don’t know what happened, this is not state jurisdiction.” This short comment sheds light on the ambiguities and complexities around the enforcement actions pursued by federal agency action.
Muñoz suggested that the raid was a response to someone exaggerating or otherwise misrepresenting what was happening. He suggested that an individual had “made a phone call and made it look like there were illegal immigrants” at the plant.
Expression of anger at the deaths became a flashpoint in U.S.-South Korean relations. Even more sensitive was the fact that the two nations had just recently announced an expansive bilateral trade agreement in October. Through this FTA, both governments have mutually decided to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25% down to 15%. South Korea has made a significant promise to invest $350 billion into the U.S. economy.
Muñoz took on statements from former President Donald Trump about “patience” when it comes to getting specialists into the workforce. He certainly wasn’t very happy with the claim and declared, “This claim is indisputably false.” He briefed on Hyundai’s no nonsense attitude towards improper labor practices and regulatory issues.
As discussions continue about immigration policy and its impact on international relations, Hyundai remains focused on its operations in the U.S. The new company is working through these challenges as it tries to build on those partnerships and strengthen its investments here in America.