7 ms·

Korea's major US investment projects halted

80 points by buyucu 1y ago

buyucu 1y ago
Sources said at least 22 other factory sites involving Korean business groups, in autos, shipbuilding, steel and electrical equipment, have been nearly halted.
treetalker 1y ago
Baffling. Why would a formerly robust ally not want to continue to make America great?
- Tadpole9181 1y ago
  It's impossible to even know if this is sarcastic or not, at this point.
catigula 1y ago
[flagged]
- fch42 1y ago
  Not every non-citizen doing a job in a foreign country does so illegally. Like in this case. What's wrong with foreigners, legally, with visums issued, building factories that then employ locals?
  - philipallstar 1y ago
    > Not every non-citizen doing a job in a foreign country does so illegally Obviously. > Like in this case. I think the contention is that an ESTA is not a suitable visa for this sort of activity. How is what you're saying disproving that? > What's wrong with foreigners, legally, with visums issued, building factories that then employ locals? Nothing.
    - immibis 1y ago
      An ESTA is not a visa. The USA publicly announces that Korean citizens have the right to enter the USA for up to 90 days for business or tourism. As we're seeing though, the real rule is "don't look foreign".
      - philipallstar 1y ago
        > As we're seeing though, the real rule is "don't look foreign". This statement is just completely disconnected from the reality of the diversity of the American work force.
        deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
      - catigula 1y ago
        This notion that Koreans are the victims of racial grievance politics isn't supported in the data.
        immibis 1y ago
        Oh why did they arrest a factory of legal immigrant workers then?
        philipallstar 1y ago
        An ESTA is a travel authorisation, not a right to start a job in the US.
        fch42 1y ago
        They weren't "starting a job" in the US. Their (foreign) employer sent them onto an assignment abroad (to the US) to do their job. That's the difference here. Even under ESTA, you can do some such activities - call'em "job" - in the US. On behalf of your non-US employer. The devil may be in the details, but the assertion these workers were "likely" (or even just "potentially) doing a _US job_ (subject to a Visum qualifying for _US employment_) is definitely misplaced.
fxtentacle 1y ago
I love how they still try to be super polite about it: "Korean workers are being treated like criminals for building factories that Washington itself lobbied for. If this continues, investment in the US could be reconsidered." "could be reconsidered"
- immibis 1y ago
  They do have to reconsider it. Korea is very dependent on US investment, and if the USA stops investing in retaliation, it's Korea that suffers greatly.
- nickserv 1y ago
  That's actually pretty hardcore. Also keep in mind South Korea is dependent on the US for military protection.
  - aaomidi 1y ago
    I wouldn’t be surprised if China decides to step into that role. As the influence of America wanes, it’s a perfect opportunity for China. And as we saw in the Pakistan - India conflict, their weapons work.
    - nickserv 1y ago
      China is allied to North Korea, which South Korea is at war with.
      - aaomidi 1y ago
        1. It’s a lot more complicated than this. 2. That situation has never stopped weird alliances before.
  - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
    > South Korea is dependent on the US for military protection America is dependent on Japanese and South Korean shipyards in the event of a war of attrition in the Pacific. And between NATO and Qatar, I think it’s fair to say that U.S. security guarantees aren’t currently worth much.
alephnerd 1y ago
> "With H-1B and L-1 work visas, which are harder to obtain, in short supply, Korean firms have routinely rotated engineers through 90-day ESTA entries or short-term B-1 visas to meet tight construction schedules" As I mentioned multiple times before, this is a callous disregard of US immigration and labor laws. VW Group has built battery factories in the South as well, and Germany has VWP priviliges as well, but they never abused the VWP or B1/2 program. Same with Japan's Panasonic Heck, Daimler has built a similar sized gigafactory in MS without resorting to similar shenanigans to Hyundai or LG [2] This plant that Hyundai-LG has been building has seen multiple, persistent OSHA violations [0] at a rate that is severely higher than comparable projects in the US [1]. If the news was flipped and we saw a report that Tesla is building a gigafactory in Korea and bringing in American construction workers without filing for formal work visas in Korea, that would be unacceptable. This is very much the same thing. If this is acceptable, then why don't we completely disregard H1B regulations when hiring in the tech industry? Can someone give me a reason why we should allow Korea a special exemption on construction labor and not the rest of the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and other allies? [0] - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/immigration-georgia-hyundai-south-korea https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/immigration-... [1] - https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/construction-deaths-injuries-at-hyundais-georgia-ev-plant-draw-scrutiny/ https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/construction-deaths-injurie... [2] - https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accelera-by-cummins-daimler-truck-and-paccar-select-mississippi-for-battery-cell-production-in-the-united-states-52568947 https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accele...
- mindslight 1y ago
  One has to perversely love how this movement has morphed into the primary concern being negative-sum strict enforcement of broken immigration laws, including against countries we're hoping will transfer us expertise and technology. I thought the constructive goal was to restore US industrial capacity and manufacturing jobs? Maybe you should try holding this con artist to doing something positive for our country, rather than being distracted by a series of destructive spectacles.
  - alephnerd 1y ago
bgwalter 1y ago
The only leverage countries have against the US is exporting something that the US wants. Rare earths, electronics, cars, etc. If they are blackmailed via tariffs to build factories in the US so that the US becomes self-sufficient, there is no leverage at all. So don't build these factories.
- alephnerd 1y ago
  European, Japanese, and Taiwanese companies have not done the same shenanigans that Hyundai Group and LG Group are doing with VWP and B1/2 visas. If they can build battery factories, semiconductor fabs, and various other factories in the US without having to resort to the above visa abuses, why can't Korea Inc? Heck, Daimler built a similar sized factory to Hyundai-LG's in MS relying only on American labor [0] [0] - https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accelera-by-cummins-daimler-truck-and-paccar-select-mississippi-for-battery-cell-production-in-the-united-states-52568947 https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accele...
  - comte7092 1y ago
    That’s a joint venture with two American manufacturers (and Daimler trucks North America itself was an American company it bought out), it’s not a realistic comparison.
    - alephnerd 1y ago
      Fine. Then how about Japan-domiciled Panasonic [0][1] and Toyota [2], as well as (South Korean) Samsung and Stellantis' gigafactory [3]? You didn't see similar persistent flouting of labor and immigration laws despite all 3 being lead by Asian (and in some cases Korean) companies with similar organizational structures. Hyundai played it fast and loose. If Samsung SDI can open a gigafactory in the US while following US laws, why can't Hyundai? Just because ICE was extremely heavy-handed does NOT absolve or give Hyundai-LG the right to break American labor or immigration laws, or ask for special treatment. Even Biden bluntly told Hyundai leadership to "Hire American" [4] following pushback over this plant. [0] - https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-production-at-new-automotive-lithium-ion-battery-factory-in-kansas-aiming-for-annual-capacity-of-32-gwh-to-accelerate-us-local-production https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-p... [1] - https://www.desotoks.us/394/Panasonic-Electric-Vehicle-Battery-Facil https://www.desotoks.us/394/Panasonic-Electric-Vehicle-Batte... [2] - https://www.toyota.com/usa/operations/map/tbmnc https://www.toyota.com/usa/operations/map/tbmnc [3] - https://news.samsungsdi.com/global/articleView?seq=36 https://news.samsungsdi.com/global/articleView?seq=36 [4] - https://www.ft.com/content/c677b9aa-2e89-4feb-a56f-f3c8452b3674 https://www.ft.com/content/c677b9aa-2e89-4feb-a56f-f3c8452b3...

80 points by buyucu 1y ago

Sources said at least 22 other factory sites involving Korean business groups, in autos, shipbuilding, steel and electrical equipment, have been nearly halted.

treetalker 1y ago

Baffling. Why would a formerly robust ally not want to continue to make America great?

Tadpole9181 1y ago
It's impossible to even know if this is sarcastic or not, at this point.

catigula 1y ago

[flagged]

fch42 1y ago
Not every non-citizen doing a job in a foreign country does so illegally. Like in this case. What's wrong with foreigners, legally, with visums issued, building factories that then employ locals?
- philipallstar 1y ago
  > Not every non-citizen doing a job in a foreign country does so illegally Obviously. > Like in this case. I think the contention is that an ESTA is not a suitable visa for this sort of activity. How is what you're saying disproving that? > What's wrong with foreigners, legally, with visums issued, building factories that then employ locals? Nothing.
  - immibis 1y ago
    An ESTA is not a visa. The USA publicly announces that Korean citizens have the right to enter the USA for up to 90 days for business or tourism. As we're seeing though, the real rule is "don't look foreign".
    - philipallstar 1y ago
      > As we're seeing though, the real rule is "don't look foreign". This statement is just completely disconnected from the reality of the diversity of the American work force.
      - deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
    - catigula 1y ago
      This notion that Koreans are the victims of racial grievance politics isn't supported in the data.
      - immibis 1y ago
        Oh why did they arrest a factory of legal immigrant workers then?
        philipallstar 1y ago
        An ESTA is a travel authorisation, not a right to start a job in the US.
        fch42 1y ago
        They weren't "starting a job" in the US. Their (foreign) employer sent them onto an assignment abroad (to the US) to do their job. That's the difference here. Even under ESTA, you can do some such activities - call'em "job" - in the US. On behalf of your non-US employer. The devil may be in the details, but the assertion these workers were "likely" (or even just "potentially) doing a _US job_ (subject to a Visum qualifying for _US employment_) is definitely misplaced.

fxtentacle 1y ago

I love how they still try to be super polite about it: "Korean workers are being treated like criminals for building factories that Washington itself lobbied for. If this continues, investment in the US could be reconsidered." "could be reconsidered"

immibis 1y ago
They do have to reconsider it. Korea is very dependent on US investment, and if the USA stops investing in retaliation, it's Korea that suffers greatly.
nickserv 1y ago
That's actually pretty hardcore. Also keep in mind South Korea is dependent on the US for military protection.
- aaomidi 1y ago
  I wouldn’t be surprised if China decides to step into that role. As the influence of America wanes, it’s a perfect opportunity for China. And as we saw in the Pakistan - India conflict, their weapons work.
  - nickserv 1y ago
    China is allied to North Korea, which South Korea is at war with.
    - aaomidi 1y ago
      1. It’s a lot more complicated than this. 2. That situation has never stopped weird alliances before.
- JumpCrisscross 1y ago
  > South Korea is dependent on the US for military protection America is dependent on Japanese and South Korean shipyards in the event of a war of attrition in the Pacific. And between NATO and Qatar, I think it’s fair to say that U.S. security guarantees aren’t currently worth much.

alephnerd 1y ago

> "With H-1B and L-1 work visas, which are harder to obtain, in short supply, Korean firms have routinely rotated engineers through 90-day ESTA entries or short-term B-1 visas to meet tight construction schedules" As I mentioned multiple times before, this is a callous disregard of US immigration and labor laws. VW Group has built battery factories in the South as well, and Germany has VWP priviliges as well, but they never abused the VWP or B1/2 program. Same with Japan's Panasonic Heck, Daimler has built a similar sized gigafactory in MS without resorting to similar shenanigans to Hyundai or LG [2] This plant that Hyundai-LG has been building has seen multiple, persistent OSHA violations [0] at a rate that is severely higher than comparable projects in the US [1]. If the news was flipped and we saw a report that Tesla is building a gigafactory in Korea and bringing in American construction workers without filing for formal work visas in Korea, that would be unacceptable. This is very much the same thing. If this is acceptable, then why don't we completely disregard H1B regulations when hiring in the tech industry? Can someone give me a reason why we should allow Korea a special exemption on construction labor and not the rest of the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and other allies? [0] - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/immigration-georgia-hyundai-south-korea https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/immigration-... [1] - https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/construction-deaths-injuries-at-hyundais-georgia-ev-plant-draw-scrutiny/ https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/construction-deaths-injurie... [2] - https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accelera-by-cummins-daimler-truck-and-paccar-select-mississippi-for-battery-cell-production-in-the-united-states-52568947 https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accele...

mindslight 1y ago
One has to perversely love how this movement has morphed into the primary concern being negative-sum strict enforcement of broken immigration laws, including against countries we're hoping will transfer us expertise and technology. I thought the constructive goal was to restore US industrial capacity and manufacturing jobs? Maybe you should try holding this con artist to doing something positive for our country, rather than being distracted by a series of destructive spectacles.
- alephnerd 1y ago

bgwalter 1y ago

The only leverage countries have against the US is exporting something that the US wants. Rare earths, electronics, cars, etc. If they are blackmailed via tariffs to build factories in the US so that the US becomes self-sufficient, there is no leverage at all. So don't build these factories.

alephnerd 1y ago
European, Japanese, and Taiwanese companies have not done the same shenanigans that Hyundai Group and LG Group are doing with VWP and B1/2 visas. If they can build battery factories, semiconductor fabs, and various other factories in the US without having to resort to the above visa abuses, why can't Korea Inc? Heck, Daimler built a similar sized factory to Hyundai-LG's in MS relying only on American labor [0] [0] - https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accelera-by-cummins-daimler-truck-and-paccar-select-mississippi-for-battery-cell-production-in-the-united-states-52568947 https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/accele...
- comte7092 1y ago
  That’s a joint venture with two American manufacturers (and Daimler trucks North America itself was an American company it bought out), it’s not a realistic comparison.
  - alephnerd 1y ago
    Fine. Then how about Japan-domiciled Panasonic [0][1] and Toyota [2], as well as (South Korean) Samsung and Stellantis' gigafactory [3]? You didn't see similar persistent flouting of labor and immigration laws despite all 3 being lead by Asian (and in some cases Korean) companies with similar organizational structures. Hyundai played it fast and loose. If Samsung SDI can open a gigafactory in the US while following US laws, why can't Hyundai? Just because ICE was extremely heavy-handed does NOT absolve or give Hyundai-LG the right to break American labor or immigration laws, or ask for special treatment. Even Biden bluntly told Hyundai leadership to "Hire American" [4] following pushback over this plant. [0] - https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-production-at-new-automotive-lithium-ion-battery-factory-in-kansas-aiming-for-annual-capacity-of-32-gwh-to-accelerate-us-local-production https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-p... [1] - https://www.desotoks.us/394/Panasonic-Electric-Vehicle-Battery-Facil https://www.desotoks.us/394/Panasonic-Electric-Vehicle-Batte... [2] - https://www.toyota.com/usa/operations/map/tbmnc https://www.toyota.com/usa/operations/map/tbmnc [3] - https://news.samsungsdi.com/global/articleView?seq=36 https://news.samsungsdi.com/global/articleView?seq=36 [4] - https://www.ft.com/content/c677b9aa-2e89-4feb-a56f-f3c8452b3674 https://www.ft.com/content/c677b9aa-2e89-4feb-a56f-f3c8452b3...