Georgia Governor Brian Kemp held discussions with SK On's leadership to explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration and stronger commercial relationships, according to reports. Earlier that day, Kemp and his team visited the Korean battery company's main offices in downtown Seoul, where they engaged in conversations with Lee Seok-hee, the chief executive of the battery manufacturing firm.
This marked the second meeting between the two, following their initial meeting in June 2024 when Kemp traveled to Seoul.
Through its American subsidiary SK Battery America, SK On runs a battery manufacturing facility with 22 gigawatt-hour capacity in Commerce, Georgia, while simultaneously constructing an additional plant in partnership with Hyundai Motor Group in Bartow County.
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The previous day, Kemp also conducted a meeting with Hyundai Motor Group's Vice Chair Chang Jae-hoon, where conversations likely addressed the consequences of widespread arrests that occurred during a U.S. immigration enforcement operation at a construction site for a collaborative battery facility between Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution in September.
At the same time, Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee, who is similarly visiting Seoul, conducted discussions with representatives from SK On, LG Chem, and LG Energy Solution regarding methods to broaden business partnerships.
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The previous day, Kemp conducted meetings with senior leadership from Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution while visiting Seoul, as the state collaborates with Korean corporations to organize subsequent actions following a major US immigration operation at their shared electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility construction location in Georgia.
The conversations centered on the consequences of the September operation and future investment strategies concerning the Hyundai-LG Energy Solution collaborative battery manufacturing facility in Ellabell, Georgia, which represents the initial documented immigration enforcement activity of this nature directed at a foreign-managed industrial location.
Kemp had also arranged to meet with LG Energy Solution's CEO Kim Dong-myung to assess construction developments and explore strategies to avoid comparable situations. Industry representatives indicated that the unforeseen operation has pushed back the facility's projected completion schedule by approximately two to three months beyond its initial 2024 deadline.
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This month, LG Energy Solution started progressively restarting business travel to the United States with critical staff members as part of restoration initiatives following the Georgia apprehension event. The corporation is giving preference to B-1 temporary business visa recipients for deployment to its American production facilities while endeavoring to establish stability in construction and operational activities.