South Korea says US release of video showing workers arrest was regrettable

22 comments

1. It’s good to see another country feeling cross about this ridiculous treatment of their citizens (*and* ***our guests***).

2. It would appear this administration is working to sabotage the US – SK alliance. In lesser seen news, the visas for a popular K-pop group were cancelled the day before they were supposed to perform in Minneapolis on Saturday. No reason for the visa cancellation was given.

3. I certainly hope South Korea doesn’t take out their anger on US citizens on trial in South Korea such as Ramsey Khalid Ismael. That would be terrible.

4. America’s friends now are just Russia

5. [deleted]

6. This case is still so out-worldly to me. The ICE theatrics Trump 2.0 are of course nothing new. But I am also somewhat shocked that companies like Hyundai and LG seemingly employed hundreds of people without proper work authorization at a US plant. I am extremely confused how their management thought this was a) a good idea and b) something they would get away with.

   And of course, Trump being who he is did not exactly choose to tackle this sensitive matter with an ally behind closed doors, but went in chains style. But still, wtf from the management of the Korean conglomerates, this seems like a terrible move on their part. It will be interesting to see more details as they come in.

7. At first they came for the Hyundais and I did not speak out, because I was a Honda.

8. With all due respect, B1 or ESTA does not grant work authorization. If the company wants to hire Korean workers, unless workers already have EAD, they should follow the rules and apply for the right work visas. Likewise, foreigners can’t work using visitor visa in Korea.

9. Man, I can’t wait till all this racism and hatred makes things cheaper.

   Any day now he’s going to make groceries cheaper. I just have to believe that hatred of others will make things better and more affordable for me personally.

   He said he could make groceries cheaper out loud multiple times. It was a key part of his campaign.

10. First time around Trump’s FDI numbers were lousy and I would be very surprised if even a fraction of the money promised this time actually shows up. The Yanks under magas look like they have become uncivilized and risky.

11. Hyundai shouldn’t be surprised. Look what he’s done to his own businesses.

    Who has casinos go into bankruptcy?

12. “Regrettable”? Well, seems like we’ll be able to get off pretty lightly.

13. Did Trump suddenly realized “Build Trump Tower in North Korea, play golf with Kim” is not a compliment?

14. Let’s see how many allies we can alienate in one term…

15. It is good that SK spoke up, hopefully the rest will start speaking up too.

16. Blame should be FIRST and FOREMOST on Hyundai and LG – For failing and deceiving their employees, and hanging them out to dry while the Korean government has to step in and bail them out.

    Hyundai and LG are the ones that OK’d their employees to travel on the B1/B2 visas because they didn’t want to go through the costs of doing it the right way. The companies must be held accountable and unfortunately its the workers who are paying the cost while the executives that directed them sit in Korea unscathed.

    That said, the US’s decision to make this a giant publicly visible raid is a massive political miscalculation. The decision to make this a showy, public raid was 100% intentional. They could have easily just privately communicated with the management of the plant, informed them that they have uncovered evidence that many of their workers are breaching their visa stipulations, and then quietly went in and detained the individuals in question. What they wanted instead is a big domestic win for the MAGA base: “ICE is cracking down on illegal workers!” What they did is yet again, further deteriorate ties with what is supposed to be a crucial ally during this era when the US is ostensibly trying to shift their foreign policy motive towards a “Pivot to Asia”.

    We talk about a “Pivot Towards Asia” yet all I see is the US getting more and more entangled in the middle east, while they continue to disregard, alienate or malign their actual allies in Asia-Pacific with a never ending string of club-footed moves like this. When this administration is done, and China has continued to grow, economically, militarily and diplomatically, what will our alliances in the pacific look like?

17. s.korea can’t even defend it self from North Korea they should stfu

18. They are working to destroy alliances. That’s the point. Pick fights then blame the other side. Their alliances hold them back from going full Reich. This is deliberate, they want to isolate the US, but be completely free in isolation

19. That was wild, they put them in cuffs and chains. Hands and feet were chained like they were prisoners.

20. I am assuming this is a highly automated plant with a lot of manufacturing equipment designed and made in SK. I have some experience in electrical matters, a different industry, but I will extrapolate.

    In electrical construction, in unionized areas, the electricians are a pool of workers, the contractors all pull from that pool. The union has many functions including training and certification. So as an electrical contractor if I need a dozen journeymen and seven helpers I go to the union and they assign qualified men. In non-union areas the contractor has to hire and assure qualifications. Then they build the facility, run conduit, pull wire, install fixtures.

    Operating the facility is different as the equipment is specialized. There is some generic training for networking (routers, LAN’s, etc.) but the specific equipment is likely either new generation and/or foreign. The Operator needs to assure the work force is trained in the unique features. Manuals and instructions need to be translated, technicians with the required basic education hired, trainers and facilities provided. Imagine the difficulty in trouble shooting complex between an American in Atlanta and an Engineer in Seoul.

    These are extraordinary start up expenses and while they should be anticipated frequently are not. How does a sub tier SK equipment supplier assess the available technical work force in Georgia? How does he find and train American trainers who can then train the American technicians? To whom does the SK supplier turn to within the US for assistance with these issues?

    One would hope, probably forlornly, there are government agencies expert at helping through these transitions. How does he find technicians with adequate training? Competent translators? Training facilities? How does he send engineers, technicians and trainers to the US to do the training? How does he maintain an expert staff here for start up and initialization when experienced experts are needed? ? Barring such US assistance the SK company is going to do the best it can to make things work. Without help and guidance he will fudge and cut corners to get by, to make it work. And if it dies work, then it becomes standard practice.

    Once the inevitable is identified a smart operator will work to resolve the problem. So maybe he needs some extra visas for some period. So you work with them to understand the problem you BOTH face, inadequate local work force, while you BOTH work on solutions and develop a schedule for reducing the foreign staff. This requires active problem solving by our federal and local governments. Or you get a fiasco.

21. this situation is very regrettable

22. I mean it was kind of a massive fraud job what Hyundai/LG were doing but I don’t think a massive arrest was the right answer.

    Fine the companies, stop construction, notify the workers they need to return to Korea, and if they don’t then you can arrest them.

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