In a scene marked by relief and emotion, 316 South Korean workers and 14 foreign nationals returned to Seoul on Friday following their release from detention in the United States. The workers had been held for a week after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia, co-operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.
The group arrived at Incheon International Airport aboard a chartered flight, where they were greeted by family members, supporters, and a heavy police presence. Cheers and applause erupted as the workers stepped into the arrival hall, with some breaking down in tears and embracing loved ones.
One worker shouted, “I’m back! Freedom!” while others expressed gratitude for their safe return. “It felt like my world was collapsing,” said the wife of an LG Energy Solution employee. “We worried so much over the past week, and I am overwhelmed that he is returning home safely.”
Lee Sang-hee, 74, who had been waiting for her 44-year-old son, a subcontractor employee, recalled her shock upon learning that the workers were detained and shackled. “I thought that he would only go through simple questioning, but when I saw on TV that they went to a detention centre and were shackled, I was taken aback. I am thankful that my son has returned healthy.”
Meanwhile, a civic group staged a demonstration at the airport, demanding an official apology from the U.S. government. Protesters held banners — including one satirically depicting U.S. President Donald Trump as an ICE officer — and chanted slogans.
Authorities deployed around 100 police officers at the airport to ensure order and facilitated the workers’ safe exit from the terminal.
The incident has sparked calls for a review of visa compliance procedures and heightened diplomatic engagement between Seoul and Washington to prevent similar detentions in the future.
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