In a significant diplomatic development, the White House has issued an apology to Hyundai CEO José Muñoz following a controversial immigration raid at a Georgia-based battery plant jointly operated by Hyundai and LG. The incident, which occurred in September, resulted in the detention of over 300 South Korean workers, sparking widespread outrage in South Korea and straining US-South Korea relations. During a business leaders’ conference in Singapore, Mr. Muñoz revealed that both the White House and the Georgia governor had expressed regret over the raid, with the latter stating that the action was beyond state jurisdiction. The detained workers were reportedly shackled and forced to sit on the factory floor before being held for over a week. They were eventually repatriated after urgent diplomatic negotiations between the US and South Korean governments. Mr. Muñoz emphasized that the raid was based on unfounded claims of illegal immigration and described it as ‘a bad surprise.’ Despite the incident, Hyundai remains committed to its US manufacturing operations. The raid delayed the plant’s opening due to labor shortages, but US President Donald Trump later expressed opposition to the action, highlighting the importance of international expertise in specialized facilities. In a positive turn, the US and South Korea announced a broad trade deal in October, reducing reciprocal tariffs and pledging significant investment in the US.