Hyundai-LG plants ICE raids cause some concern on heels of new Columbus South Korean manufacturing announcement

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Last week, a South Korean magnet company announced plans to build a plant in Columbus.

That announcement came two days before federal immigration agents raided a South Korean automotive construction site near Savannah.

Our Chuck Williams checked with local economic development officials to see what, if any, impact that raid will have on the Columbus project. Chuck joins us now.

Missy Kendrick, the president and CEO of Choose Columbus, says she does not see any immediate impact. But that raid did cause concern in Columbus.

“Naturally, when it hit the news that it was a little concerning, for us, having just located a Korean project in Columbus,” Kendrick said. “But, I think that we look at it a little differently in that, we are we see it as an opportunity to make sure that that doesn’t happen here.”

JS Link America is planning to invest more than $223 million and hire 524 people to make magnetic devices that are used in everything from cars to consumer electronic devices.

Last week’s ICE raid of a Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site in Bryan County resulted in 450 detainees, most of them South Korean nationals.

We asked Kendrick if Choose Columbus knew who was going to be building the JS Link plant.

“We have not had those conversations with JS Link yet. What we are able to do, though, is that we have a list of contractors and construction companies and different types of, firms, like engineering firms and general contractors and plumbing and electrical and that kind of thing that we are able to provide to any company that locates here upon request, because we want to, give them a list of local folks that are interested and willing to work with companies on construction projects.”

Choose Columbus has offered JS Link assistance in the visa process for its construction project.

“We will be helping them with their visa requests, or they’ve asked for our help getting the visas that they’re going to be needing to bring the trainers over,” Kendrick said. “And so it will give us an opportunity to make sure they fully understand what is allowed and not allowed under the visas that they apply for. So hopefully we’ll make sure that that doesn’t happen here in Columbus.”

JS Link is expected to begin construction early next year on a 46-acre site in the Muscogee Technology Park. The company plans to be operational by the end of 2027.