Hundreds of South Korean workers detained by US immigration authorities in Georgia last week could soon be on their way home, but the impact the sweeping detentions have on US-South Korean relations – notably the countries’ deep economic ties – is likely to reverberate well into the future.

The US and South Korea are in a deadlock over details of a $350 billion investment fund the two countries agreed to as part of a broader trade deal, with a top Seoul official warning that even the shipbuilding partnership is at risk if they fail to narrow the differences.