South Korean president responds to Hyundai plant ICE raid

Workers at a Georgia Hyundai plant describe a chaotic scene after an immigration raid at the facility. Federal authorities say Thursday's raid was the result of a months-long investigation by several agencies.

The crackdown, the largest so far on US work sites, led to 475 arrests of mostly Korean nationals. Some of the workers tried to flee as word of the raid spread. CNN's Rafael Romo is covering the story. What more are you learning of what was really a chaotic scene?

It was difficult to find out details about what actually transpired the first couple of days, but now we're hearing from people and officials exactly what happened. And one of the things that we have learned, some of the details that we have learned, Fred, after the massive rape conducted Thursday include That officers spoke with each worker one by one to determine which were in the u.s Legally and allowing some to leave while taking undocumented immigrants into custody by the time they were done at 8 p.m

On Thursday agents had arrested 475 people most of them Korean nation, making it the largest sweep yet in the current Trump administration's immigration crackdown at American job sites. CNN obtained a video that shows a Homeland Security Investigations agent telling workers to cease operations immediately. Let's take a look.

We need construction to cease immediately. We need all work to end on the site right now.

And shortly after the agents arrived at the plan, then workers realized what was happening. After word spread across the property, chaos ensued with many workers attempting to flee and some even running into a sewage pond and others hiding in air ducts.

Homeland Security investigation special agent described how agents screened each person suspected of being in air ducts. A Homeland Security Investigation special agent described how agents screened each person

suspective of being in the country illegally.

Some that illegally crossed the border into the United States. Some that came in through visa waiver and were prohibited from working. Some that had visas and overstayed their visas. And each individual was

Questioned on their status their documents were checked their backgrounds were checked

In a statement sent to CNN last night Hyundai said the following regarding the immigration rate in Georgia We are reviewing our processes to ensure that all parties working on our projects maintain the same high standards of legal compliance that we demand of ourselves. This includes thorough vetting of employment practices by contractors and subcontractors. The company also said that Hyundai has zero tolerance for those who don't follow the law. In an interview with CNN, former Deputy Homeland Security Secretary under President Trump, Ken Cuccinelli, said conducting this type of raid is a major undertaking.

There's a lot of work that goes into an operation of this scale and of this depth, including investigation by multiple agencies. Obviously it takes a lot of investigative manpower. And that's all going on in parallel with a whole bunch of other investigations across the country.

The plant that was targeted was built after Hyundai announced an agreement with the state of Georgia in 2022 to build what the company called at the time, the first dedicated fully electrified vehicle and battery manufacturing facilities in the United States. The plant was projected to employ 8,500 people once completed, but as you

heard a moment ago, they were ordered to stop all work. So this delays operations.

For sure. All right, Rafael Romo, thanks so much. Good to see you. All right, the massive ice raid prompted a sharp response from the South Korean president. CNN's Mike Valerio is in Seoul with more on the reaction there.

Well, the headline from here is certainly that South Korea's president, Lee Jae-myung, is getting involved in this matter, telling his officials that, quote, ''All out necessary measures should be done to support Korean nationals in this matter

and to resolve it as fast as possible. Now, the split screen from where he was just about 10 days ago is certainly dramatic, considering that he was at the Oval Office meeting with President Trump, talking about a new investments that South Korea would make into a reality, making American shipbuilding again, improving investments in manufacturing in the United States.

This battery factory run by Hyundai as a joint venture with the other South Korean giant LG is certainly part of that narrative. And now, to see this operation, the biggest of its kind, taken in the second Trump administration, it is so striking and has hit such an emotional chord with a multitude of people here in South Korea. Quite astounded that not just one or two or a few dozen South Koreans have been detained as part of this operation, but more than 300, a number confirmed by South Korea's Ministry

of Foreign Affairs today. Along those lines, the minister of foreign Affairs has said that if this situation isn't resolved, he could conceivably go to Washington, D.C., saying in part, quote, as we discuss this issue further today, we are also considering dispatching a high-level official to the U.S. to address the situation. If necessary, I, meaning the foreign minister, am prepared to travel to Washington, D.C.

personally to engage directly with U.S. officials to resolve this matter. Unclear at the moment what, if any, charges could be filed, will be filed, and how long will it take to release all 300-plus of these South Korean nationals again hitting such a chord to release all 300-plus of these South Korean nationals again hitting such a chord with people halfway around the world. Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.