Recently, U.S. immigration authorities conducted a large-scale crackdown on undocumented immigrants at the joint battery plant of Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution in Georgia, detaining over 300 Koreans. However, the domestic pharmaceutical and bio industry generally believes there will be no direct repercussions. Most local subsidiaries of major corporations in the U.S. are primarily staffed by Americans, so they are distanced from the crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
On the 7th, a Yuhan Corporation official noted, "The Boston research lab primarily employs local residents, and while some Korean researchers are dispatched, all have visas that allow them to work in the U.S.," adding, "I understand there are no significant impacts." SK Biopharm also stated, "Except for a few expatriates, we mostly hire local employees," and added, "The expatriates also hold formal visas and are currently residing long-term, so they are unrelated to the Georgia crackdown."
Lotte Biologics, which operates production facilities in the U.S., also drew a line. A company official said, "We have factories in the U.S., but all local employees are Americans, and there are no Korean personnel," adding, "This matter is unrelated." Boryung, which has a U.S. subsidiary, stated, "There are only one or two Koreans within the corporation, and they are long-term residents, so there should be no issues," while JW Pharmaceutical explained, "Our U.S. subsidiary is still in the establishment phase, so there are currently no stationed personnel."
Overall in the industry, there is an opinion that "Korean pharmaceutical companies' U.S. subsidiaries are often still operated as research labs or small-scale firms, so the situation is different from that of the battery plant with a large number of Korean workers active locally."
However, one corporate official mentioned, "At this point, there is no direct impact, but a response system for risk management in preparation for the future is necessary," adding, "For corporations actively engaged in clinical or production activities in the U.S., potential risk assessment is needed."