Hyundai Motor Co. said it is sticking with plans to invest $26 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, even as its construction site in Georgia faces questions over its use of foreign labor and workplace safety.
José Muñoz, Hyundai’s global chief operating officer and head of its North American business, told the Atlanta Business Chronicle in an interview published Monday that the company’s commitment to Georgia—where it is building a major electric-vehicle plant—remains unchanged.
“We are doing what we promised,” Mr. Muñoz said. “Our investment strategy for Georgia and the United States has not changed.”
He said the carmaker is focusing on ramping up productivity at the Georgia facility through automation, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing systems. Localizing not only vehicle assembly but also supply chains and logistics will help reduce costs and improve competitiveness, he added.
Hyundai’s Georgia operations are expected to create up to 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, cementing the South Korean automaker’s position among the largest foreign investors in the U.S. auto industry.
Mr. Muñoz also addressed broader trade-policy questions, arguing that localization is the most effective response to potential tariffs. “The solution to tariffs is simple: localization,” he said. “This is something I’ve discussed for years, and we are executing it now.”
His comments follow a September incident in which more than 300 Korean workers were temporarily detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the construction site of a Hyundai–LG Energy Solution battery joint venture in Georgia. The workers were later released after diplomatic talks between Washington and Seoul.
Local reports suggested the enforcement action may have been linked to concerns over local hiring levels and a series of safety incidents at the site, though no penalties were formally announced.
In a separate event on Sunday, Mr. Muñoz was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree by the Georgia Institute of Technology during a commencement ceremony held at Hyundai Field in Atlanta.
Hyundai has made Georgia a centerpiece of its North American electric-vehicle strategy, part of an industry-wide shift toward localized production amid evolving trade and regulatory landscapes.
