Tensions high at S.Korea's Parliament

S.Korea:Tensions were high Wednesday in South Korea's parliament after talks on ending an opposition sit-in broke down.

About 150 security guards blockaded the parliament on the orders of Speaker Kim Hyong-O. Scores of riot police were also on standby outside.

However, dozens of opposition legislators, helped by more than 200 aides, continued their seizure of parliament.

"Most opposition legislators are inside the main hall for a plenary session after locking up all but one door with iron chains," a spokesman for the office of parliamentary staff told AFP.

The ruling conservative Grand National Party (GNP) has asked the speaker to take immediate action and end the sit-in for a final vote, after talks with the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) broke down.

Party leaders had agreed on settling about 70 bills but the DP rejected the GNP's proposal to postpone until February the ratification of two contentious bills - a free-trade pact with the United States and legislation to allow media cross-ownership.

SEOUL Wednesday,AFP