Korean Investment in Georgia: A Decade of Growth and the Road Ahead

Korea has become one of Georgia’s most important economic partners. Over the past decade, Korean companies have committed tens of billions of dollars to factories across the state, from the Savannah coast to the northwest Georgia mountains.

This article reviews the official record of Korean investment in Georgia, looks honestly at the September 2025 immigration raid at the Hyundai site, and considers where the next five years may lead.

A decade by the numbers

The State of Georgia has kept an office in Seoul since 1985. That long relationship has produced measurable results:

• More than $24 billion and 33,600 jobs. State-supported Korean projects over the past decade are slated to deliver these totals, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
• About 100 facilities. Korean-owned operations employed more than 17,000 people in Georgia as of 2024.
• A top source of foreign investment. In fiscal year 2025, Korea, Japan and Canada were Georgia’s top sources of international investment.
• First for new international jobs. In fiscal year 2026 (July 2025 to June 2026), Korea led the list of top international sources of job creation.

The anchor projects

Six projects account for most of the investment.

These rows should not be added together, because companies report some figures in overlapping ways. Hyundai Motor Group states its combined Georgia commitment, including both battery joint ventures, as $12.6 billion.

September 2025: the raid at the Hyundai site

On September 4, 2025, federal agents carried out an immigration enforcement operation at the HL-GA battery plant construction site. The site sits on the Hyundai campus along I-16, about 30 minutes west of downtown Savannah.

The Department of Homeland Security detained 475 people, most of them Korean nationals. Korean media put the number of South Korean citizens at 317.

The two sides described the event differently. Federal officials said those detained were suspected of working unlawfully. An attorney for several workers said the “vast majority” were doing work permitted under B-1 business visitor visas. Hyundai said none of those detained were its direct employees.

After about a week in detention, more than 300 Korean workers flew home on a chartered flight. Construction stopped, and Hyundai’s chief executive said the battery plant would be delayed by months.

What happened next

The disruption was real, but the investment did not stop.

• Two weeks later: Hyundai detailed a $2.7 billion expansion of the Metaplant, with 3,000 more jobs and a target of 500,000 vehicles a year by 2028.
• About two months later: Construction resumed at the battery plant. The company confirmed that some of the detained workers had returned to the site.
• Fall 2025: Governor Brian Kemp met Hyundai and LG executives in Seoul to coordinate next steps.
• April 2026: Hyundai’s chief executive said the battery plant was set to open that month.
• Fiscal year 2026: Georgia reported a record $35.2 billion in project investments. International companies accounted for more than 9,350 new jobs, and Korea ranked first among the source countries.

That fiscal year began two months before the raid and ended ten months after it. On the state’s own numbers, Korean job creation in Georgia continued through the period.

Sentiment: two honest pictures

In Korea, the reaction was strong. President Lee Jae Myung warned that without visa improvements, “our businesses will hesitate to make direct investments in the United States.” Civic groups and labor unions called on companies to cancel U.S. investment plans.

Some concerns remain open a year later. No dedicated visa for short-term technical workers has been created, and Korean-owned businesses near Savannah have not fully recovered. More than 300 of the workers are now pursuing legal claims against the U.S. government.

In Georgia, leaders moved to reassure investors. Governor Kemp said the episode might end up smoothing the visa path for Korean specialists. The two governments formed a working group, which has clarified how B-1 visas and the visa waiver program may be used.

New projects also kept arriving. JS Link, a Korean magnet maker, is moving forward with a $223 million plant in Columbus that is expected to open in 2027.

The fair summary: trust was shaken and the visa question is unresolved, but companies have continued to build.

The next five years

What follows is our reading of the announced plans. It is a projection, not a guarantee.

Trends that point to continued growth

• Metaplant phase two. Hyundai plans to add hybrid models and reach 500,000 vehicles a year by 2028.
• Batteries made in Georgia. The Bryan County and Bartow County battery plants are designed to supply Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles built in the United States.
• A growing supplier network. Metaplant suppliers had announced more than $2.5 billion and about 6,900 jobs across 12 Georgia counties as of July 2024.
• National commitments. Korea pledged $350 billion in U.S. investment in 2025, and Hyundai announced a $26 billion U.S. commitment.

Risks to watch

• Visas. President Lee said the visa system will have a major effect on future Korean investment. That issue is still open.
• Trade policy. Tariffs and trade terms between the two countries can change the math on new projects.
• Trust. The pending legal claims will keep the 2025 raid in the news in both countries.

Our view: investment already under construction is very likely to be completed. The pace of brand-new announcements depends most on whether the visa question is settled.

Relocating to Georgia from Korea

Behind every plant are families making a major move. Engineers, managers and their spouses and children arrive needing a home, schools and a community, often on a short timeline.

The major project sites are spread across the state: Bryan County near Savannah, West Point on the Alabama line, Commerce along I-85, and Cartersville and Dalton along I-75. Where a family lives depends on commute, budget, schools and lifestyle, and those answers differ for every household.

Kelly Choi of Jojia Homes works with relocating families in English and Korean. She can help you compare areas, understand the buying or leasing process in Georgia, and plan a move from overseas.

Kelly Choi, Jojia Homes
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties
33 South Main Street, Suite 201, Alpharetta, GA 30009
Direct: 678-704-7045 | Cell: 917-363-5516
kelly.choi@bhhsgeorgia.com | GA License 363489

This article is for general information only. It is not legal, immigration, tax or investment advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Sources

• Georgia Department of Economic Development: Georgia-Korea partnership op-ed
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: How the Georgia-Korea connection energizes opportunities
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: Fiscal year 2025 results
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: Fiscal year 2026 results
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: Hyundai Motor Group’s impact on Georgia
• Hyundai Motor Group: Metaplant America grand opening
• HL-GA Battery Company: About
• Automotive World (Hyundai release): First Metaplant production vehicle
• WABE: Qcells expansion
• The Hill: Detained workers released
• PBS NewsHour / Associated Press: What to know about the raid
• Bloomberg Law: Short-term visas and the Hyundai raid
• KED Global: Battery plant delay
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Hyundai’s next phase in Georgia
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Battery plant set to open
• WTOC: Construction resumes at HL-GA
• The Korea Herald: Governor Kemp in Seoul
• The Korea Times: U.S. states and Korean investors
• MS NOW: President Lee’s warning
• Battery Technology: Industry reaction
• WRBL: Impact felt from Georgia to Korea
• Korea Daily: One year later
• CNN: Workers challenge the raid
• Denver Gazette: Hyundai’s $2.7 billion expansion
• Euronews / Associated Press: President Lee on the U.S. visa system