The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) has unilaterally submitted a motion for ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, trade and unification.

The motion was submitted during the committee’s general session on Thursday afternoon.

Only ten out of 29 parliamentary trade committee members were present, but all ten voted in favor of putting the motion before the National Assembly as opposition legislators were barred from entering the proceedings.

Rival parties clashed as lawmakers and some 100 members from the Democratic Party and the minority Democratic Labor Party protested the GNP's move by attempting to enter the parliamentary committee’s conference room.

The ruling party’s unilateral actions will likely draw continued protest from the opposition.