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A month after ICE raid and detention, LG Energy is bringing workers back to Georgia

Published: 15 Oct. 2025, 18:00

The joint battery plant by LG Energy Solution in Georgia remains deserted, with construction fully suspended after the recent raids from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. [YONHAP]

LG Energy Solution is resuming business travel to the United States and accelerating efforts to normalize operations following a temporary suspension caused by the detention of Korean employees under U.S. immigration scrutiny.

The company is also expected to meet with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp during his visit to Korea next week, with discussions likely to center on ensuring that its battery joint venture with Hyundai Motor Group proceeds without further disruption.

According to industry sources Wednesday, LG Energy Solution and its partner company employees — who were arrested and detained by U.S. immigration authorities in September — returned to work Monday after a period of paid leave. The company has also resumed overseas travel for essential personnel.

LG Energy Solution operates or is building seven battery plants across the United States. Although last month’s detentions raised fears of prolonged operational delays, the company is now moving to stabilize its business.

Industry insiders said uncertainty over business visas has eased after a Korea-U. S. working group confirmed that holders of short-term B-1 visas or Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) permits are authorized to perform installation, inspection and maintenance work at U.S. battery plants.

The U.S. State Department and U.S. Embassy in Seoul published a fact sheet on Oct. 4, clarifying that both B-1 and ESTA holders can legally perform such activities.

Detainees are made to stand against a bus before being handcuffed, during a raid by federal agents where about 300 Koreans were among 475 people arrested at the site of a $4.3 billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to build batteries for electric cars in Ellabell, Georgia, U.S., Sept. 4, in a still image taken from a video. [U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT]

SK On has already resumed work at its U.S. construction sites with B-1 visa holders. “To meet delivery deadlines for orders based on U.S. production, rapid normalization of factory operations is essential,” said a battery industry source.

Korea’s top three battery makers — LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On — are currently investing more than 54 trillion won ($38 billion) in nine U.S. battery plants, excluding those already in operation.

The recent shift toward normalization comes after the Sept. 4 detention of hundreds of Korean workers in Georgia triggered concerns about U.S. business risks. Gov. Kemp is scheduled to visit Korea from Oct. 23 to 25 to meet with companies building facilities in Georgia, including Hyundai Motor Group, LG Energy Solution, SK On and CJ Foodville.

LG Energy Solution President Kim Dong-myung is expected to meet with Kemp to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and preserve business continuity despite the visa incident.

Battery makers are also accelerating efforts to repurpose completed electric vehicle (EV) battery production lines for energy storage systems (ESS), a segment seen as critical amid weakening EV demand due to changes in U.S. tax incentives.

“Converting a production line for ESS use takes about six months to a year,” said a source at one of the Korean battery giants. “The three major Korean battery firms are racing to gain early market share, and it’s fortunate that ESTA travel is now permitted, as equipment engineers need to be on-site in the United States.”

Korean workers who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities in Georgia walk out of the arrivals hall at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Yeongjong Island on Sept. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Unlike conglomerates like LG and Samsung, many equipment partners in the battery supply chain are small and mid-sized firms that rely heavily on ESTA for travel.

Korean battery companies are turning to ESS production to offset the decline in EV demand after federal subsidies were reduced in September. Analysts see ESS as a key driver of earnings in the second half of the year.

LG Energy Solution’s strong third-quarter operating profit of 601.3 billion won was largely attributed to increased shipments of ESS units to North America.

In July, the company said it aims to reach 17 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of North American ESS production capacity by the end of this year, and 30 GWh by the end of 2025.

“LG Energy Solution is reportedly converting additional lines to respond to surging ESS demand,” said Kim Cheol-jung, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities. “In 2025, North American ESS battery shipments could exceed those of EV batteries.”

Samsung SDI also began producing ESS batteries this month by converting part of its joint venture line with Stellantis in the United States. SK On is preparing to shift some of its U.S. factory lines to ESS production as well.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOi SUN-EUL [[email protected]]