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When one worker looked out of his office glass and saw security vehicles and enforcement agents moving around with guns, he was stunned, yet unconcerned.

The South Korean man was convinced it was unrelated to do with him. He was in the United States just for a short period on a temporary permit, he reflected to himself.

Suddenly, those weapon-carrying agents burst into his space and commanded him out. They handcuffed him, before connecting restraints to his waist and legs, and loaded him onto a vehicle headed for a detention centre.

"I panicked and my thoughts froze. I felt sick," he shared in an interview, now returned home.

"I couldn't understand why I was being handled in this manner."

Youngjin is one of more than 300 Korean workers who were detained in the US state of the Southern state earlier this month, in among of the largest enforcement raids during Donald Trump's presidency so far. Youngjin and others interviewed about this report didn't want to disclose their real names in order to protect their privacy.

Aircraft and Drones… People Carrying Firearms'

US officials initially claimed the individuals had been in the nation without authorization on incorrect visas, but later the two sides struck a agreement allowing them to depart without force free from any consequences, so they could come back to be employed there in the future.

Most of the personnel were in the US temporarily, helping to construct an electric car battery plant run by a pair of South Korean companies, Hyundai and LG – part of a US push to get international businesses to invest and produce more in the country.

The company indicated that many of its employees who were detained had various kinds of visas or were under a permit-free arrangement. Therefore they were particularly shocked by the raid.

"We just stepped outside for a brief break and I could see a lot of people, officials with guns. As South Koreans, we just thought they were here to detain criminals, but after that, they abruptly started detaining us," said another detainee, who was also detained that day.

Chul-yong said they tried to explain who they were, but they were terrified: "There were choppers and unmanned aircraft, armoured trucks… officers with firearms."

We noticed some agents pointing guns at us, he claimed. "Are you familiar with those laser dots that emit from those guns? It was so shocking that some people were trembling in terror."

Even those who were able to share their immigration information said they were arrested. "I believed everything would be cleared up but instead, they suddenly shackled us," said another worker detained, who only wanted to reveal his last name.

Chul-yong said there was a restraint around his feet and one more around his body, connected to handcuffs. "It was so constricting, I couldn't touch my head with my hands."

They all said they had no idea why this was happening, or where they were being taken. "Eventually I discovered that I was detained at the a specific immigration Detention Center," mentioned Chul-yong. He had been planning to stay for about a month but was detained on his sixth day there.

The Conditions Were Very Cold... Drinking Water Smelt Similar to Wastewater'

The engineer, an engineer and contract worker for the company, was scheduled to be there for over a month to train personnel to use some of the specialized advanced machinery.

This 30-year-old was shaking, even visibly distressed, as he described his transfer to the detention centre and confined in a cell with 60-70 other detainees.

"I had a anxiety episode. I just remained there shaking," he said. The area was freezing, and the new individuals were not provided coverings for the first two days, he added.

"I was in short sleeves, so I tucked my arms inside my clothes and wrapped myself in a towel to try to keep heated at during the evening," he said. "Most difficult part was the liquid. It had an odor like waste. We drank as minimally as possible."

The sleeping areas were all occupied, Chul-yong said, by the time he got there, leaving him and others to locate any available spot to rest, even an unused desk where they could put their head down.

"We tried to sleep wherever possible, truly. It was really chilly. There were individuals who found wrapped bread, heated it up in the microwave, holding it throughout the night."

For the first few days, the worker had little clue how long he would be detained for. He feared it might be a long period. Only after a number of the detainees were able to meet attorneys and consular staff, that they understand their government was working with the American officials to get them released.

"Including the American side believes it may have been a somewhat too extreme," the nation's chief trade representative informed the media after returning from the US. Seoul says it is now reviewing possible human rights abuses during the operation by US authorities.

The administration recognized the need to have specialists from abroad educate up US employees, and as per Korean officials, American Deputy Official of State Christopher Landau has expressed his "deep regrets" over the event.

Still, it has shaken relations between the United States and Korea, typically strong partners, especially since it came hard on the aftermath of a economic agreement in which Korean companies committed to contribute $350bn in the US.

The worker was confident his activities was permitted by his business visa - and contended it made no sense for the authorities to arrest many of individuals without clarifying their functions in the factory.

Younjin, who was in the United States on a three-month visa waiver scheme, is adamant he did no illegal. "I only participated in discussions and delivered training presentations," he said, explaining this was under the scope of the arrangement. "My confidence in the US has been deeply undermined. I believe it's a trustworthy ally for South Korea."

Even though returned with his loved ones, the engineer is continuing struggling to come to terms with what occurred to him. When he saw them at the airport after returning to South Korea on Friday night, he said he smiled and {hug