SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - South Korean major companies with multibillion-dollar ventures in the United States are biding their time or adopting stopgap measures as they asset the fallout from the immigration raid at a Korean battery plant in Georgia.
LG Energy Solution has suspended the final-stage construction of a $6 billion joint-venture battery plant with Hyundai Motor following the surprise raid by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and arrest of 475 workers.
The battery maker is exploring remote oversight as a temporary alternative. "If we could do things remotely, we would not have had to send workers (despite visa issues). We are discussing with partner companies whether some tasks could be handled through remote supervision," a company official said.
Of the 317 detained Korean workers, 170 entered under the visa waiver program (ESTA) and 146 on short-term business or tourist visas (B1/B2). One had a valid employment authorization document (EAD), but was arrested nonetheless.
"Work (at the site) is on hold until the U.S. and Korean governments give clear guidance (on permits). We are waiting for the U.S. government’s instruction to resume operations," the official said.
The visa turmoil is reverberating across other Korean projects in the U.S. Samsung Electronics’ chip division is building a foundry in Texas worth 50 trillion won ($37 billion). Hyundai Motor Group is investing 6.7 trillion won ($5 billion) with SK On in a battery plant in Bartow County, Georgia. Hanwha Solutions is building a solar module plant in Georgia worth 3.1 trillion won ($2.3 billion).
Hyundai Motor has instructed employees to put off business trips to the U.S. until further notice. "There are too many different types of business trips to apply one blanket rule, so we are monitoring the situation closely. For now, we expect the construction to be delayed by about two to three months," a company official said.
Hanwha Solutions likewise said it is holding off U.S. trave and project acceleration until visa uncertainties are lifted.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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