Hyundai CEO: "U.S. Immigration Crackdown to Delay Plant Construction by 2-3 Months"

by Kim Minyoung

Published 12 Sep.2025 07:12(KST)

Updated 12 Sep.2025 07:46(KST)

Reuters and Bloomberg Interviews

Jose Munoz, CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, predicted that the completion of the Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution joint battery plant currently under construction in Georgia will be delayed by at least two to three months due to the recent large-scale crackdown by U.S. immigration authorities.

Yonhap News Agency

According to Bloomberg and Reuters on September 11 (local time), Munoz attended an automotive event in Detroit, where he told local media, "This incident will cause us a delay of at least two to three months," adding, "Now, all these people want to return to Korea." He continued, "We then have to figure out how to fill those positions, and most of the people we could hire are not in the United States."

This is the first public statement Munoz has made since the immigration crackdown. Previously, on September 4, U.S. immigration authorities raided the construction site in Ellabell, Georgia, and detained 475 people. Among them, 316 South Koreans were released and began returning home just a week later, on September 11.

Munoz said he was surprised when he first heard about the crackdown and immediately checked whether Hyundai Motor employees were involved, but found that most of those affected were employees of LG's partner companies. He emphasized, "The construction phase of the plant requires specialized personnel," and noted, "There are many skills and equipment that are difficult to find within the United States."

However, he stated that this incident will not fundamentally change Hyundai Motor's investment strategy in the United States. Munoz said, "It was a very unfortunate event, but the strategic importance of the U.S. market remains unchanged," adding, "We have made large-scale investments over the past several years and will continue to expand going forward."