Trump Is Trying to Bludgeon South Korea Into Submission
An ICE raid on workers at a Hyundai plant in Georgia has sent shock waves through South Korean politics. It came just as Donald Trump has been trying to strong-arm South Korea’s government into accepting an extortionate trade deal with the US.
South Korea is so entangled with the US on both economic and military fronts that even the new liberal government of Lee Jae-myung is finding it difficult to reject Donald Trump’s outlandish demands. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
On September 4, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents rounded up 475 workers, most of whom were South Korean nationals, at the construction site of an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Georgia. The plant was jointly built by two South Korean companies, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution.
The biggest single ICE raid to date sent immediate shock waves through South Korea and the United States alike, coming against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s arm-twisting tactics to extract hefty US tariffs and generous investments from Seoul.
For the Left and organized labor in both countries, the raid was a multifaceted snapshot of the way in which labor, at home and worldwide, is being violently stifled by Trump’s unilateral bid to recast global trade and order in favor of the US ruling elite.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.