SEOUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. and South Korea are

working closely to advance their trade and investment

partnership including by processing appropriate visas for

qualified South Korean workers, the U.S. State Department said.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau stressed

the "critical role" of skilled workers of foreign companies

investing in the U.S. at the first working group meeting on new

visas for South Korean companies, the State Department said in a

statement.

The meeting between senior State Department and South Korean

foreign ministry officials aimed at improving U.S. visa

programmes for South Korean businesses was held in Washington on

Tuesday.

Landau said the United States was committed to encouraging

investment by companies from South Korea as one of the leading

foreign investors in the U.S., the statement said.

The talks were set up in the aftermath of a massive

immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor ( HYMLF ) car battery

facility under construction in the U.S. state of Georgia in

September where hundreds of South Korean workers were arrested.

The arrests, which stunned the South Korean government and

public, highlighted the lack of access to the right class of

U.S. visas for specialised South Korean workers needed at

investment sites.