South Korea calls out 'cultural differences' with US after Hyundai raids

President Lee said the incident highlighted a deeper difference between the two countries' views on immigration.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2025, 12:59:12 IST

By HT News Desk

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On US immigration raids at South Korean manufacturing plants in the US, South Korea's leadership pushed back firmly, adding that the action sparked confusion and concern among businesses and officials in both countries.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also called for improvements in the US visa system. (AFP)

President Lee and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun pointed to what they describe as a "cultural difference" in how immigration enforcement is understood and handled in the United States.

While in Washington for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Foreign Minister Cho suggested that the detained Korean workers could return home to recover and, if they wished, come back to the US later under proper legal conditions, a South Korean official said.

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Cho also assured the public that the workers would not be handcuffed during their transfer from detention to the airport, reported Yonhap News Agency/

"We view it differently": President Lee

Back in Seoul, President Lee said the incident highlighted a deeper disconnect between the two countries' views on immigration.

"In South Korea, we often see Americans coming in on tourist visas to teach English in private academies," Lee explained. “It happens all the time, and culturally, we don't see it as a big deal. It's just accepted.”

In a news conference marking 100 days in office, Lee also called for improvements in the US visa system as he spoke about the September 4 immigration raid in Georgia that resulted in the arrest of more than 300 South Korean workers at a battery factory under construction at Hyundai’s auto plant in Georgia.

South Korean companies will likely hesitate to maintain or make direct investments in the United States if the US fails to improve its visa system for Korean workers.

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HT News Desk
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