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United Kingdom
LG Energy Solution’s CHRO has flown to the US to coordinate the company’s emergency response following the detention of nearly 300 workers at a Georgia battery plant site.
Chief Human Resources Officer Kim Ki-soo departed Seoul on Sunday morning to personally oversee operations on the ground after US immigration authorities carried out a large-scale raid.
“The swift and early release of LG Energy Solution and partner company employees is the top priority,” Kim told reporters at Incheon International Airport before leaving. “The Government is also responding with full force, and we will do everything we can to ensure the safe and prompt return of everyone involved.”
Hundreds detained in Georgia raid
The incident stems from a major enforcement action at the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution battery facility under construction in Savannah, Georgia. Authorities detained 475 people during the operation, including around 300 connected to LG and its partners.
Among those taken into custody were 47 LG Energy Solution employees - 46 Korean nationals and one Indonesian - as well as approximately 250 staff from HL-GA Battery, a supplier jointly created by Hyundai and LG. Most of the partner company workers are believed to be Korean, though the precise breakdown is still being confirmed.
Donald Trump commented on the action, claiming those detained were undocumented immigrants who had crossed the border under the Biden administration. “They were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
HR response and employee safety
The company has placed a temporary freeze on business travel to the US with exceptions only for essential client obligations. Employees already in the country have been told either to return immediately or remain in place depending on their assignments.
LG Energy Solution said it is in close contact with families of those affected and working to ensure access to necessary medication for detainees. The firm is also liaising with the Korean government and relevant agencies to arrange in-person visits and maintain communication channels.
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“We will do our utmost to resolve this situation swiftly and ensure the safe return of all individuals,” the company said in a statement.
Kim did not elaborate on the details of the company’s US strategy or the condition of detained staff but emphasized the company’s commitment to employee welfare and rapid resolution.
The case places the role of CHRO in an unusual crisis management situation, leading LG Energy Solution’s response on the ground in the US.
