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Comment by pupppet | Hacker News Reader

What are people in South Korea thinking of this? Can’t imagine seeing citizens of my country getting hauled away in chains.

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South Korea outraged at 300 workers treated as ‘prisoners of war’ in US raid

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/sep/12/s...

Probably "if I work in a foreign country I should probably have the proper work visa". Though, I blame management not the workers - I suspect many were not aware.

And for the downvoters, try going and working in a foreign country without the proper paperwork and see how it pans out (and how the locals feel about it)...

Here's an AI overview of working illegally in SK btw:

> Working illegally in South Korea can result in deportation, a fine of up to 30 million KRW (approximately US$22,000), and a ban on re-entry for up to five years. Employers who hire illegal foreign workers also face significant penalties, including fines of up to 20 million KRW (around US$15,000) and/or imprisonment.

I bet they’re thinking more “so you blackmailed us into investing in you, and you arrest our people who are there making that investment happen”

I cannot honestly believe that you think any group of people on earth would look at this situation and then think that they should have just followed the rules better.

The South Korean government is already saying that the US needs to fix its visa program if it wants the investment[1]

[1] https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_internatio...

Any rational group of people would look and say "they should follow the local laws". And one that practically all civilized countries have, including SK. And yeah, the visa program is problematic - but that is not a green light for breaking the law.

Any rational group of people would look at the government demanding investment but not making the process the same government administers for visas viable for the time frames the government is demanding, and be pissed at the government in question.

This wasn’t in a vacuum done solely for Hyundais profit. The government that did this raid is currently threatening every other country that doesn’t invest in the US _now_ with tariffs and sanctions.

I’m actually trying to understand your point here because what you’re describing to me seems as crazy as a seeing a mugger be pissed that the muggee wasn’t polite enough during the encounter

Where would there be rational thought in seeing people you feel some kinship to being chained up and paraded in front of the world by other people you feel less kinship to? This is the kind of thing that sparks wars and riots.

They were. Other news reports indicated that some tried to hide in sewer ponds.

Some of the workers were on tourist visas.

It's very disappointing. I just bought an Ioniq 9 and it's a great car. I'm really bothered, at both sides, (US and Hundai/LG), for letting the situation get like this.

Hyundai and management (both sides) should have to pay some large fines for sure. I bet some locals were in on it, too.

> Probably "if I work in a foreign country I should probably have the proper work visa"

Which one would that be in this case?

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