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Brian Kemp, Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia (Photo courtesy of Yonhap News ) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, South Korea – October 22, 2025 – Brian Kemp, Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia, will visit South Korea this week to meet with executives from Hyundai Motor Group, LG Energy Solution, and SK On, following last month’s U.S. immigration raid that led to the temporary detention of hundreds of Korean workers at a Georgia battery plant construction site.
According to industry sources, Governor Kemp will begin his trip on October 23 with a meeting with Jang Jae-hoon, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, to discuss the aftermath of the Hyundai–LG Energy Solution joint battery plant incident, as well as ongoing investment and employment cooperation in the state. The two are also scheduled to hold a follow-up dinner meeting on October 24, where Kemp will also meet LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung to review the construction status of the joint battery facility and explore future partnership initiatives with the Georgia state government.
Governor Kemp is also expected to meet SK On President Lee Seok-hee on the same day. SK On currently operates a 22GWh standalone battery plant in Commerce, Jackson County, and is jointly building a 35GWh battery facility with Hyundai Motor Group in Bartow County, Georgia.
The visit comes in the wake of a major immigration enforcement operation on September 4, when agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with the Georgia State Patrol, raided the Hyundai–LG Energy Solution joint construction site in Savannah, Georgia.
During the raid, approximately 300 Korean workers were detained on suspicion of visa violations and were released eight days later, causing construction delays at the project.
José Muñoz, Hyundai Motor Co. CEO, previously said the incident could delay plant construction by two to three months.
Governor Kemp’s Korea visit is seen as an effort to restore confidence and coordination between the Georgia state government and Korean investors, as well as to reaffirm Georgia’s role as a strategic hub for U.S. electric vehicle and battery production.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
