By Obinna Uballa
The United States President Donald Trump has reportedly intervened to stop the deportation of South Korean workers detained during a raid at Hyundai-LG’s battery plant in Georgia, insisting they remain in the country to train American workers.
The Financial Times reported on Thursday that Trump instructed U.S. officials to “encourage” the workers to stay on, quoting a South Korean foreign ministry official who said the president wanted them to continue “educating” Americans.
The workers had been scheduled to leave the U.S. on a chartered flight Wednesday, but the departure was delayed after Trump questioned whether they should be sent back, the report said.
Seoul confirmed the development, with South Korean officials noting that Trump’s order effectively reversed an earlier plan by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expel the factory staff, according to the report.
Analysts say the intervention underscores Trump’s push to boost domestic manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on foreign labour, even if it means keeping foreign workers temporarily in place to pass on their skills.
