An alliance of unions representing employees in the financial industry staged a strike near Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on Friday.

Around 13-thousand members of the Korean Financial Industry Union are taking part, including its executive and members from 39 chapters who were joined by the heads of the nation's two umbrella unions and civic group representatives.

The strike caused major traffic congestion in the area despite a dispatch of some 200 traffic police officers. The unions were later expected to march toward Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, the station closest to the presidential office.

The group’s first strike in six years was approved after 93-point-four percent of union members voted for the stoppage last month.

The unions are demanding a five-point-two-percent pay raise, three-point-seven percent more than management is offering, while also seeking reduced work hours and improvements to the peak wage system, among other guarantees.

The unions plan to stage a second walkout on September 30.

There was minimal disrauption to bank operations, however. According to the Financial Supervisory Service, less than one percent of employees from the five largest commercial banks were taking part in the strike. 

More people were taking part from the state-run Korea Development Bank and the Industrial Bank of Korea, where employees are opposed to the government's plan to move their headquarters to the provinces.