South Korea responds to Hyundai plant raid; Bird flu detected; Hurricane Prep. Week

Summary

Georgia Today – September 8, 2025

Episode Theme:
This episode of Georgia Today explores major news impacting Georgia at state and international levels: South Korea’s strong response to the Hyundai plant immigration raid, renewed concerns over bird flu, economic fallout from forestry mill closures, new perimenopause education for health providers, early literary coaching success in schools, professor workplace dissatisfaction, and advice for Hurricane Preparedness Week from a leading National Weather Service meteorologist.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. South Korea’s Response to Hyundai Plant Immigration Raid

• Overview:
  • The episode opens with the diplomatic fallout from last week's massive immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant in southeast Georgia, in which several hundred workers were detained, sparking backlash in South Korea.
• International Reaction:
  • South Korea’s foreign minister is traveling to the U.S. to arrange the workers’ return on a charter flight.
  • The incident has caused “confusion, shock and a sense of betrayal” in South Korea, a key U.S. ally ([00:39]).
• Media and Public Sentiment:
  • Rafael Rashid, freelance journalist in Seoul, describes the country’s outrage:

    “Social media is flooded with comments about feeling backstabbed and humiliated, and I think there's genuine shock that this comes… about 10 days after President Lee Ji Myung had his meeting at the White House with Trump. People are basically asking, we promised hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, so why are our workers being treated like criminals?” — Rafael Rashid ([01:19])

• Official U.S. and State Responses:
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asserts on-air that “the operation by DHS won't deter U.S. investment” in Georgia ([01:48]), though Georgia’s own political leaders are noted as being mostly silent.
• Additional Context:
  • Of the 475 workers detained, 23 are Mexican nationals.
  • The workers are currently held in Folkeston, GA.

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2. Bird Flu Detected in Georgia

• Incident Details:
  • A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in a backyard flock in Henry County—the first such case since January 2025 ([01:48]).
• Containment & Risks:
  • All infected flocks must be culled; bird flu is highly contagious with no cure.
  • Spokesman Matthew Agment stresses the importance of prompt reporting:

    “Much rather you call us out, we come out and have a negative test—timing is really of the essence when it comes to responding to HPAI outbreaks.” — Matthew Agment ([02:56])

• Prevention:
  • The Georgia Department of Agriculture offers biosecurity guidance on their website.

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3. Georgia Forestry Industry Crisis

• Mill Closures and Economic Impact:
  • The closure of three major mills (Cedar Springs, Savannah, Riceboro) equates to a $3 billion economic blow ([03:06]).
  • Over 100 logging crews are at risk, with woodchips piling up and tax authorities predicting millions lost in local revenue.
• Industry Response:
  • Georgia Forestry Association president Tim Larimore states the group is working with Gov. Brian Kemp for immediate and long-term solutions.

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4. Perimenopause Education for Health Providers

• Program Overview:
  • Peri Academy is providing continuing education on perimenopause assessment and treatment for healthcare professionals ([04:34]).
• Focus Areas:
  • Topics include metabolism, sleep, mental and emotional health during perimenopause.
• Challenges:
  • Laura O'Coffer, founder of Peri Academy, notes:

    “There are just a lot of still question marks and confusion around prescribing. So that would be number one.” — Laura O’Coffer ([04:48]) “...mental and emotional health, which is still one of the most misunderstood chapters in perimenopause.” ([05:00])

• Goal:
  • Better recognition of symptoms such as anxiety, brain fog, and night sweats within patient evaluations.

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5. Literacy Coaching Yields Measurable Gains

• Initiative Results:
  • Full-time literacy coaches in 60 high-need elementary schools have led to improvement in student reading scores, especially among third graders in Bibb County ([05:22]).
• Statewide Progress:
  • This is the second year of the literary coaching initiative, with pronounced improvements at schools with targeted coaching support.

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6. Faculty Dissatisfaction at Georgia Colleges

• Survey Findings:
  • Over half of 800 surveyed professors would not recommend working in Georgia, citing salary, working conditions, and political climate ([06:36]).
• Notable Quote:
  • “Over the last three years, we've really seen a significant segment of the population and faculty express concerns about their salary, about their job, about their working cond[itions].” — Matthew Boddy, AAUP Georgia ([07:08])
• Context:
  • Around 90% of respondents are from public colleges; USG Board of Regents did not comment.

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7. Hurricane Preparedness Week: Expert Guidance

Interview with David Nadler, National Weather Service

Host: Pamela Kirkland

• Area of Responsibility:
  • North and central Georgia, covering 96 out of 159 counties ([08:18]).
• Storm Monitoring & Coordination:
  • Local offices ramp up messaging for potential threats, working closely with the National Hurricane Center for forecasts ([08:18]).
• Case Study – Hurricane Helene (2024):
  • Powerful and fast-moving, Helene maintained strength inland, causing widespread wind damage, heavy rain, and tornadoes ([09:39]).

    “Helene was very unique… able to maintain significant strength even while inland, which caused a lot of the wind damage… and even tornadoes on the east side of the center of the storm that affected parts of like eastern Georgia and then on into South Carolina as well.” — David Nadler ([09:39])

• Best Sources for Alerts:
  • Use weather apps, local media, county alerts, and the official NWS webpages ([10:40]).

    “If people have apps, weather apps, tied in with local media, they'll get a lot of information that way… just going straight to our local National Weather Service webpage… all should be pretty much putting out the same information with respect to tropical systems.” — David Nadler ([10:40])

• Prediction Tools:
  • Real-time observations from hurricane hunters, satellite and radar data ([11:58]).

    “Just a combination of the remote sensing tools that we have with satellite and radar... and the actual data from the hurricane aircraft ... that actually fly through the systems several times a day.” — David Nadler ([11:58])

• Operations Amid Staffing Cuts:
  • Despite federal cuts, operational support remains strong.

    “We've had no notable impacts on our staffing that would affect operation, our operational support... So yeah, we just keep doing that and there's been no issues here at all.” — David Nadler ([13:32])

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Social media is flooded with comments about feeling backstabbed and humiliated… we promised hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, so why are our workers being treated like criminals?”
  — Rafael Rashid (01:19)
• “Much rather you call us out, we come out and have a negative test—timing is really of the essence when it comes to responding to HPAI outbreaks.”
  — Matthew Agment (02:56)
• “There are just a lot of still question marks and confusion around prescribing.”
  — Laura O’Coffer (04:48)
• “Over the last three years, we've really seen a significant segment of the population and faculty express concerns about their salary, about their job, about their working cond[itions].”
  — Matthew Boddy (07:08)
• “Helene was very unique... able to maintain significant strength even while inland, which caused a lot of the wind damage...”
  — David Nadler (09:39)
• “We've had no notable impacts on our staffing that would affect operation, our operational support... So yeah, we just keep doing that and there's been no issues here at all.”
  — David Nadler (13:32)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Hyundai immigration raid & South Korea response: 00:39–01:48
• Bird flu detection and prevention: 01:48–03:06
• Forestry mill closures and economic fallout: 03:06–04:34
• Perimenopause provider education: 04:34–05:22
• Literary coaching in elementary schools: 05:22–06:36
• University faculty satisfaction survey: 06:36–07:35
• Hurricane Preparedness expert interview: 07:35–14:30

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Tone and Style

The episode maintains a measured, informative tone, with reporters and experts clearly explaining the nuances and stakes of each topic. Memorable moments arise both from the gravity of the international incident and from the practical guidance on hurricane readiness.

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For more information or follow-up on any of these stories, visit gpb.org.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom on today's episode. Last week's massive immigration raid at a South Georgia Hyundai plant could affect relations with United States ally South Korea. Bird flu has once again been detected in Georgia, and as hurricane preparedness week begins at gpb, an expert explains how to get the latest info on weather threats.

[B]

If people have weather apps tied in with like local media, they'll get a lot of information that way. A lot of people have their own apps that they can monitor that information.

[A]

Today is Monday, September 8th. I'm Sophie Gradas and this is Georgia Today. South Korea's foreign minister is en route to the US to finalize steps for the return home of several hundred workers detained in a massive immigration raid in southeast Georgia last week. The the arrests at a Hyundai battery plant have caused confusion, shock and a sense of betrayal among many people in South Korea, rafael Rashid, a freelance journalist in Seoul, told NPR's Here. And now the images of South Koreans in shackles in particular aren't going down well in the country, which is a key US Ally.

[C]

Social media is flooded with comments about feeling backstabbed and humiliated, and I think there's genuine shock that this comes just I think it's about 10 days after President Lee Ji Myung had his meeting at the White House with Trump. People are basically asking, we promised hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, so why are our workers being treated like criminals?

[A]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the operation by DHS won't deter U.S. investment. South Korea has become a key partner in Georgia's economic development, but Georgia leaders have remained largely silent on the raid. South Korea plans to bring the workers being held at a detention center in Folkeston, Georgia, back to the country on a charter flight. Meanwhile, the office of the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta says out of the 475 workers detained, 23 were Mexican nationals. On Friday, Georgia's Department of Agriculture confirmed positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu, in a backyard flock in metro Atlanta's Henry County. It marks the first confirmed case of HPAI since January, when another backyard flock and two commercial flocks in North Georgia were culled after testing positive. There's no cure for bird flu once a flock contracts it, and it is highly contagious. Georgia Department of Agriculture spokesman Matthew Agment says it's important to call for testing if you suspect your birds are sick.

[B]

Much rather you call us out, we come out and have a negative test timing is really of the essence when it comes to responding to HPAI outbreaks.

[A]

The department's recommended biosecurity measures can be [e-mail] the Georgia Forestry association is calling three recent mill closures a crisis, sending shockwaves through every corner of one of the state's major industries. The group on Friday said the closures of a containerboard mill in Cedar Springs and of pulp and paper mills in Savannah and Riceboro amount to an estimated $3 billion loss in economic output. It says more than 100 logging crews are at risk of shutting down and that wood chips are piling up with no buyers cutting off vital revenue for sawmills. Local taxing authorities expect millions of dollars in lost revenue. The association's president and CEO, Tim Larimore, said in a video posted publicly that his group is working with governor Brian and others to identify immediate and long term solutions to strengthen the industry. Georgia Pacific closed its facility in Cedar Springs in southwest Georgia in July. International Paper said in August that its two facilities in southeast Georgia would close by the end of this month. Many healthcare providers have knowledge gaps when it comes to perimenopause or the time leading up to menopause. That's why Peri Academy is offering health professionals training from experts across medical specialties on how to assess and treat symptoms. GPB's Ellen Eldredge has more.

[D]

The academy offers accredited continuing education on topics related to perimenopause, including metabolism, sleep and overall health. Laura o' Coffer is the founder of Peri Academy. She says women's symptoms often are misunderstood.

[B]

There are just a lot of still question marks and confusion around prescribing. So that would be number one.

[D]

The second one would be around mental.

[B]

And emotional health, which is still one of the most misunderstood chapters in perimenopause.

[D]

Understanding symptoms like anxiety, brain fog and night sweats in the context of perimenopause during a patient evaluation. That's the goal of the certification. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldred.

[A]

The Georgia Department of Education's move to place full time literary coaches in 60 of the state's high need elementary schools seems to have resulted in some improvement among young readers in Macon, Bibb county and elsewhere. That's according to a review of the results of a 2025 statewide assessment. Most Bibb county schools that received instructional literary coaches saw improved student reading scores this year. According to the review of the assessment by Macon Bibb County Schools, improvement in English language arts and reading statuses for third graders is more pronounced at some of the elementary schools that have literary coaches. This is the second year of the state's literary coaching initiative.

[E]

It's rare to find a podcast that can actually change your life, but when the show's called Life Kit, that's kind of the whole point. I'm Marielle Segarra. Three times a week on the Life Kit podcast, we guide you through a topic we could all use help with, from personal development to healthy living to managing your dinero with takeaways so you can start living what you learn right away. Escucha El lifekit podcast from npr.

[A]

The American association of University Professors Georgia Chapter released a survey showing that many professors in Georgia are unsatisfied with their jobs. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports on their findings.

[D]

The result showed that more than half of the 800 professors surveyed would not recommend working in Georgia to a colleague. President of AAUP Georgia Chapter Matthew Boddy has conducted the survey for three years. He says many respondents cited political climate and other issues among top reasons for dissatisfaction.

[B]

But over the last three years, we've really seen a significant segment of the population and faculty express concerns about their salary, about their job, about their working cond.

[D]

Around 90% of those surveyed work at public colleges and universities. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents did not immediately reply to a request to comment on the survey results. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis.

[A]

This week is hurricane preparedness week here at gpb. NOAA forecasters are projecting above average hurricane activity as we enter the second half of hurricane season. That means it's a good time to talk about how we can all be ready when severe weather strikes. GPB's Pamela Kirkland spoke with meteorologist David Nadler about how Georgia prepares for tropical threats even far from the coast. Nadler is a member of the Storm Ready Advisory Board and the Warning Coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Here's their conversation.

[F]

Your office at the National Weather Service is focused on forecasting. How do you decide which storms you're going to follow closely versus other areas of interest?

[B]

Well, our office covers, you know, specifically north and central Georgia, 96 out of the 159 counties. We don't have any coastal areas. We'll cover more of the counties that are closer to the coast. So that said, I mean, any potential threats or impacts to the state will certainly start, you know, ramping up our level of awareness and messaging, forecasting, you know, to our partners, which, you know, emergency managers, public safety officials, all the decision makers across those 96 counties, and then of course, it trickles to the public as well. The National Hurricane center, which is a national center in Miami, they're primarily doing the forecast on the tropical systems, any tropical system. So we take a lot of their, you know, we work closely with them and take a lot of their information, just relay it to more of a state or local level perspective for impacts to the, to the public.

[F]

And to that point, as far as monitoring the coast versus kind of the inner part of Georgia, Hurricane Helene was one storm last year that we saw that came up through middle central Georgia. So as far as coordinating with the National Hurricane Center, I'm sure National Weather Service was also very active in getting those alerts out too. To say, hey, there's a hurricane coming, but it's not coming the usual way.

[B]

That you would think, yeah, Helene was very unique in the sense of how powerful it was, but also how fast it was moving came up, you know, and it made land fall near the panhandle of Florida. But it was so intense and it was moving so quickly that I was able to maintain significant strength even while inland, which caused a lot of the wind damage. You know, really pretty broad swath of, you know, significant damage due to the winds on top of the heavy rainfall that we had and even, even tornadoes on the east side of the center of the storm that affected parts of like eastern Georgia and then on into South Carolina as well. So, yeah, we were, we were lockstep with the hurricane center and really trying to emphasize the potential significance of that event and the potential damage that it would, it was going to do ahead of time.

[F]

And you touched on this a little bit earlier. But how does the National Weather Service go about getting this information out? What's the best place for people to look for some of these alerts coming from you all?

[B]

Well, you know, our media partners are very important, such as yourselves and on television and getting this information out, because the information that the national hurricane, it releases every three to six hours for a particular event, like Helene, for instance, or any tropical system, it's public information. So once they put out their forecast, it's viral, it goes out everywhere. So if people have apps, weather apps, tied in with local media, they'll get a lot of information that way. A lot of people have their own hurricane tracking apps that they can monitor that information. But just go into making sure you're kind of tied in in some way with specific county that you might live in, because they'll be pushing out a lot of the same information that we're sharing is a good way or just going straight to our local National Weather Service webpage to get that information as well. So there's a variety of sources, but they all should be pretty much putting out the same information with respect to tropical systems.

[F]

Yeah, probably a situation where it's better to have more information than less information. As a meteorologist, how do you predict things about storms like direction, intensity, just tracking where is going to be most impacted?

[B]

Well, there's a couple of things there. I mean we use real time observations from, I'm sure you might be familiar with like the hurricane hunters or when Air Force and NOAA send in these, these specialized special airplanes to measure, you know, the data actually within the system to get a feel for its, you know, how strong it might be or if it's strengthening or weakening. That's a big thing. Just the real time observations. The other thing would be just satellite data. Of course we can see, you know, we have this incredible satellite network of satellites that we can tap into and see how the system might be strengthening or weakening, expanding where it's moving, of course, you know, direction, of course, like, you know, that's very important, how fast it's moving. So yeah, just a, just a combination of the remote sensing tools that we have with satellite and radar. If it's close to a radar, like San Juan, Puerto Rico has a radar. So sometimes we could see what it looks like offshore. And then of course the, you know, the actual data from the hurricane aircraft or the hurricane hunters that actually fly through the systems several times a day.

[F]

Lastly, earlier this year the National Weather Service lost hundreds of employees to federal cuts. Though there is talk of rehiring. Have you felt any impact on your office's ability to track storms and just, bottom line, can people still rely on the National Weather Service during this busy season?

[B]

Yeah, 100%. We've had no, no notable impacts on our staffing that would affect operation, our operational support. We're actually, yeah, the Weather Service is in the process of hiring almost 10% of its workforce in the next, you know, six months or so. Those jobs are getting out there right now as we speak. They're just kind of staggered a little bit. So. Yeah, but we're working well and operating well. We have a great core and we've always been down like maybe one or two or three people here or there throughout the years. So it's not um, it's. We're not unaccustomed to, you know, being down a few people. It does, does not affect our day to day operations and even when we have higher impact weather and we staff up, you know, we know we have people that work used to working, you know, round the clock and staggering shifts and stuff like that to meet the needs. So yeah, we just keep doing that and there's been no issues here at all.

[F]

Keep doing what you're doing. We check you guys often to see what we need to be keeping an eye on. Thank you. That's David Nadler, warning coordination, meteorologist with Weather Service and a member of the Storm Ready Advisory Board as part of Hurricane Preparedness Week. You can find more resources and tips on our website [e-mail] don't forget to.

[A]

Tune in to our morning and afternoon shows this week for more on hurricane preparedness and how major storms impact Georgia. That's it for today's edition of GEORGIA today. Thanks for listening. If you would like to learn more about these stories, you can visit gpb.org and and if you haven't yet subscribed to this podcast, you can take a moment right now and keep us current in your podcast feed. If you have feedback, we would love to hear it. You can email us@georgia todaypb.org I'm Sophie Gradas and we'll see you tomorrow.

[E]

It's rare to find a podcast that can actually change your life, but when the show's called Life Kit, that's kind of the whole point. I'm Marielle Segarra. Three times a week on the Life Kit podcast, we guide you through a topic we could all use help with, from personal development to healthy living to managing your dinero with takeaways so you can start living what you learn right away. Escucha El lifekit Podcast from NPR.