South Korea has suggested that problems with United States visas for Korean workers must be resolved before a mooted $350bn investment package can move forward.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Friday that Seoul would work with Washington to address the concerns. Following a high-profile raid by US authorities on a plant in the state of Georgia, South Korea has increased efforts to persuade Washington to resolve disputes over visas and tariffs, illustrating the clash of President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies with his calls for foreign investment.

“This is not a prerequisite for Korean investment in the US, but it is a very important issue in practice,” Cho told reporters. “We’ll do our utmost to ensure that the visa problem is resolved in some way before substantial investments begin.”

Earlier this month, more than 300 employees at a battery plant under construction in Georgia were detained in an immigration sweep, before being released and sent home.

The incident prompted calls from companies for a new visa category to make it easier for skilled Korean workers to help set up new factories and train US workers…

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called the raid “bewildering” and warned it could deter future investment…