South Korea says 'bewildering' immigration raid could chill investment

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said Thursday that a massive U.S. immigration raid on a Hyundai-LG battery factory site was "bewildering" and could have a chilling effect on future investment.

Seoul is expecting hundreds of workers detained during last week's raid at the Hyundai-LG battery plant in the U.S. state of Georgia to be released from detention on Thursday and flown back to South Korea.

Lee blamed the raid on "cultural differences" saying that in South Korea, minor visa infractions by American nationals were not seen as "a serious issue."

After the detentions, South Korean companies "can't help but question whether setting up a plant in the U.S. is worth the potential risks," he said.

"This could have a significant impact on future investment decisions, particularly when evaluating the feasibility of direct operations in the U.S.," he added.

South Korea is a major investor for the United States, with its top companies pouring billions into developing factories and plants in America.

The Hyundai-LG plant raid was the largest single-site raid conducted since U.S. President Donald Trump launched a sweeping immigration crackdown. The raid came less than a month after Trump welcomed his South Korean counterpart to the White House.

(With input from agencies)