South Korean President Moon Jae-In visited the SK Innovation facility in Jackson County Saturday, one day after meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Moon was joined by Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, as well as Gov. Brian Kemp during his visit to the South Korea-based battery manufacturer's Commerce facility.
According to the AJC, Moon spoke about the electric vehicle industry, as well as the relationship between South Korea, the United States and the state of Georgia.
"I congratulate you all," Moon said, according to the AJC, "and commend your efforts to build a better future where everyone propers."
SK was recently at the center of a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that alleged they had stolen trade secrets related to the production of lithium-ion batteries from LG Chemical, Ltd.
In April, SK Innovation and LG Chemical reached an agreement over the dispute, which allowed SK's Commerce facility to continue operating.
SK currently operates a single facility in Commerce, but a second is under construction and is expected to begin operation in 2023. The company plans to hire an additional 2,000 people once the second facility is completed.
During his time at the facility, Moon also briefly spoke on the March metro Atlanta spa shootings, which resulted in the deaths of eight people, six of whom were of Asian descent, according to the AJC.
“I’m glad that President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act,” Moon said at the facility, according to the AJC. “The Korean government will also work with the U.S. administration and Korean American communities to make sure that there are no more hate crimes based on race.”
