Trump Warns S. Korean Arrests Could Scare Off Investors

Former US President Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump on Sunday voiced concern that the recent arrests of South Korean workers in Georgia could discourage investment, stressing that foreign experts are welcome in America.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the 79-year-old Republican wrote: “I don’t want to frighten off or disincentivize investment.”

On September 4, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 475 people—mostly South Korean nationals—at the construction site of a Hyundai-LG electric vehicle battery factory in Georgia. Authorities alleged that many had overstayed visas or were working outside the scope of their permits.

Although deportations were not carried out, images of detained workers in chains sparked outrage in South Korea. Seoul repatriated the workers on Friday, while President Lee Jae Myung condemned the raid as “bewildering” and warned it could harm future investment.

Trump noted that foreign specialists are sometimes needed to build “extremely complex products” such as semiconductors, trains, and ships. “We welcome them, we welcome their employees, and we will learn from them, then do even better than them at their own game,” he said.

South Korean trade unions have demanded an official apology from Trump, criticising the raid as heavy-handed and damaging to bilateral trust.