CNN reports on the testimony of workers on site, who even hid in a ventilation shaft to avoid arrest.

The crackdown team, with approximately 500 members, was promoting cooperation, but the governor issued a statement stating that the crackdown was"justified."

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Yongrae Kim = CNN reported that U.S. federal agents raided the construction site of a joint battery plant between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Georgia as if operating in a"war zone," based on testimonies from workers present at the site.

American media reported that some workers hid in ventilation shafts and other places during the sudden crackdown on illegal immigration, which was reminiscent of a military operation on a battlefield.

According to CNN's online edition on the 5th (local time), a worker at the construction site of a lithium battery manufacturing plant on the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) campus in Bryan County, Georgia on the 4th said that federal agents stormed in"as if it were a war zone."

The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his safety, said immigration agents questioned each worker on the scene for their Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and other identifying information, and only issued temporary permits to those who were found to be in good standing.

The workers were reportedly only able to leave the construction site after presenting these permits to other immigration officers at the entrance.

Another worker at the scene hid in a ventilation shaft to avoid arrest.

He said he was"hiding in a ventilation shaft and it was so hot" when told immigration agents were raiding the area, CNN reported.

CNN reported that 500 federal and local agents were deployed for the raid. They stationed workers along the wall and checked their identities, and the operation reportedly concluded around 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Georgia governor, who has touted the Hyundai plant as a major boost to the local economy, issued a statement saying the raid was a legitimate crackdown on illegal immigration.

According to CNN, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, issued a statement that day saying,"The Georgia Department of Public Safety is working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide all necessary support in this raid, which is part of the cooperation between state and federal immigration authorities," adding,"We will always enforce the laws, including all state and federal immigration laws."

On the 4th, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Georgia State Patrol conducted a large-scale immigration raid at the Hyundai Motor Company battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia.

As a result, 475 people were arrested, many of whom were Korean nationals, according to U.S. authorities. U.S. immigration authorities explained that the arrested employees either entered the United States illegally or were working illegally while violating their residency status.

The South Korean government estimates that more than 300 of the 475 people arrested are Korean.

Some civic groups in the United States condemned the crackdown as unacceptable.

According to the Associated Press, the civic group Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta issued a statement expressing solidarity, saying,"Our community knows full well that the workers targeted at Hyundai (construction sites) are ordinary people who are raising families, building strong communities, and working for a better future."

Sammy Lentz, who runs a nearby supermarket, also said he was"concerned" about the situation."Koreans are a very proud people. I don't think they'll be happy about what's happening."

However, some local residents supported the crackdown on illegal immigration, saying that it did not create enough jobs in the community.

Tanya Cox, a resident near the Hyundai plant, said she had no hard feelings toward Korean or other immigrant workers, but said many of the jobs at the site should have gone to local residents, the Associated Press reported.