But on Monday, LG said work is nearing completion on the Fayette County plant spearheaded by its joint venture with Honda, called “L-H Battery.”
“Currently, we are continuing with daily tasks where associates are being trained, and manufacturing equipment is being verified as the plant advances (toward) its goal of being production-ready by year’s end,” LG said in a statement sent in response to questions from the Dayton Daily News.
“Aside from the more than 2,000 construction jobs that were created as a result of this project, more than 525 full-time L-H Battery associates have been hired (as of September 2025) in a variety of engineering, technician and operator roles,” the joint venture also said.
“When at full capacity in the coming years, the plant is expected to employ 2,200 associates.”
After a U.S. immigration and Homeland Security raid of a $4.3 billion Hyundai-LG battery facility in Georgia, at least 22 other factories involving Korean business groups, “in autos, shipbuilding, steel and electrical equipment, have been nearly halted,” the Korean Economic Daily news outlet reported Monday, citing sources the outlet did not name.
The report was headlined: “Korea’s major US investment projects halted as detained LG Energy workers set for release.”
Another outlet, the Korea Herald, reported that the South Korean company has suspended business trips to the United States.
While LG said it does not provide specific information about personnel, it told the Dayton Daily News it “takes employment law very seriously, adhering to all applicable laws and regulations related to the confirmation of employment status, and our company has the same expectations of compliance for our suppliers and contractors.”
In early 2023, ground was ceremonially broken for the Ohio plant, which will produce batteries for American Honda electric vehicles.
Honda’s overall EV investment in Ohio has been projected to reach $4.4 billion, as plants in Anna, East Liberty and Marysville are reconfigured to add EV production to continued production of internal combustion engine automobiles.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025
On an X account associated with the White House, President Trump said: “Following the immigration enforcement operation on the Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, I am hereby calling on all foreign countries investing the United States to please respect our nation’s immigration laws. Your investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build world-class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so.”
News reports say the South Korean government secured the release of about 300 Korean citizens who were detained following the raid by U.S. immigration officials at the Georgia plant.
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