Battery plant delayed after US immigration raid, says Hyundai

Construction on a Hyundai Motor-LG battery plant in Georgia that was raided by US immigration authorities is being delayed as the companies face labor shortages.

- 

DETROIT -

The work is being set back by several months following last week's disruption, Hyundai chief executive officer Jose Munoz said in an interview on Sept 11.

"This is going to give us minimum two to three months' delay because, now, all these people want to get back," he said. "Then you need to see how can you fill those positions. And for the most part, those people are not in the US."

The comments show the growing fallout from the Sept 4 raid in which US federal agents detained 475 workers, mostly South Koreans, at the battery plant site that is jointly operated by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. With images of detainees shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles, the shock operation has reverberated throughout the industry and strained diplomatic ties between Seoul and Washington.

With the new plant delays, Hyundai will continue sourcing batteries from an SK On plant in Commerce, Georgia, Mr Munoz said.