As one worker looked through his workspace window and saw armoured trucks and enforcement agents moving about with firearms, he was surprised, but not worried.
The young man was convinced it had unrelated to do with him. Youngjin was in the US only for a short period on a temporary permit, he reflected to himself.
Suddenly, those armed agents burst into his space and commanded him outside. They restrained him, then attaching chains to his midsection and legs, and loaded him onto a bus bound for a holding centre.
"I was terrified and my mind froze. I felt sick," he told during a discussion, now back home.
"I couldn't understand why I was being handled in this manner."
The worker is among of over 300 Korean workers who were detained in the US state of Georgia earlier this month, in one of the biggest immigration raids during Donald Trump's administration so far. Youngjin and fellow detainees interviewed about this article preferred not to disclose their full names in order to protect their privacy.
'Helicopters and UAVs… Officers Carrying Guns
US authorities at first stated the workers had been in the nation without authorization on incorrect documents, but eventually the parties struck a agreement allowing them to depart voluntarily without any penalties, so they could come back to work there in the coming years.
The majority of the personnel were in the US temporarily, assisting to construct an EV battery facility run by two South Korean companies, an automaker and LG – part of a US push to encourage foreign businesses to put money and manufacture more in the country.
The company indicated that a large number of its staff who were arrested had different kinds of visas or were under a permit-free arrangement. Therefore they were particularly surprised by the operation.
"We just came out for a short pause and I could see a lot of people, agents with guns. As Koreans, we just thought they were here to detain lawbreakers, but then, they suddenly started arresting us," said Chul-yong, who was also detained that day.
He said they attempted to explain who they were, but they were frightened: "There were helicopters and unmanned aircraft, security vehicles… people with firearms."
We noticed some agents pointing guns at workers, he claimed. "You know those laser lasers that emit from those firearms? It was so shocking that some individuals were trembling in terror."
Including those who were able to provide their visa details said they were arrested. "I believed everything would be resolved but instead, they suddenly restrained us," said another worker involved, who just wanted to reveal his surname.
The detainee said there was a restraint around his ankles and another around his waist, connected to restraints. "They were so tight, I couldn't touch my head with my arms."
Each of them said they had no idea why this was happening, or where they were being transported. "I later learned that I was detained at the a specific immigration Processing Facility," mentioned Chul-yong. He had been planning to stay for about a 30 days but was arrested on his sixth day there.
'It Was Freezing... The Water Smelt Similar to Sewage
Youngjin, an engineer and sub-contractor for LG, was planned to be there for over a month to educate personnel to use some of the specialist high-tech machinery.
The 30-year-old was trembling, still clearly distressed, as he described being taken to the holding centre and locked in a cell with dozens of other people.
"I had a panic attack. I just stood there shaking," he said. The area was freezing, and the recent individuals were not given coverings for the first two days, he added.
"I was wearing short sleeves, so I tucked my arms inside my clothes and covered myself in a cloth to try to keep warm at night," he said. "Most difficult aspect was the liquid. It smelt reminiscent of waste. We drank as minimally as possible."
The sleeping areas were all occupied, Chul-yong said, by the time he got there, leaving him and others to locate any available space to rest, including an empty desk where they could lay their head down.
"We tried to sleep anywhere, truly. It was really chilly. There were people who found packaged food, heated it up in the oven, holding it throughout the night."
For the initial days, Youngjin had little clue how long he would be held for. He worried it might be a long period. Only after a number of the workers were able to consult attorneys and diplomatic officials, that they understand their government was cooperating with the American authorities to get them freed.
"Including the American side feels it may have been a somewhat too far," the nation's lead trade representative informed the media after coming back from the US. Seoul states it is now investigating possible human rights abuses during the raid by US authorities.
Trump recognized the necessity to have experts from overseas educate up US employees, and as per South Korean officials, American Assistant Official of State a senior diplomat has expressed his "deep apologies" over the event.
Nevertheless, it has shaken relations between the United States and Korea, typically close allies, especially since it came soon on the aftermath of a economic deal in which Korean companies committed to contribute $350bn in the US.
The worker believed his work was allowed by his B-1 visa - and contended it made no sense for the authorities to arrest many of people without verifying their roles in the plant.
Another individual, who was in the US on a 90-day visa waiver scheme, is adamant he committed nothing wrong. "I only attended meetings and gave instructional sessions," he said, noting this was under the scope of the arrangement. "Our confidence in the US has been deeply shaken. I don't think it's a reliable ally for South Korea."
Although back with his family, the worker is still struggling to process what occurred to him. At the time he saw them at the airport after returning home on that night, he said he greeted and {hug
