Members of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), a nationwide umbrella group, stormed the headquarters of the governing Grand National Party, Friday, and staged a sit-in protest.

The pro-government union federation and the GNP have been close since 2007 when it officially supported business-friendly Lee Myung-bak's bid for the presidency.

Jang Seok-chun, head of the FKTU, visited GNP chairman Chung Mong-joon in the morning and asked the party to help in changing the government's attempts to ban employers from paying wages to full-time unionists and acknowledging multiple unions. He claimed Chung and party floor leader Ahn Sang-soo were uncooperative in a departure from their partnership on labor policy.

Jang and other union leaders say they will continue their sit-in protest at the headquarters. The FKTU together with its rival Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) are threatening to go on strike next month.

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr