The annual parliamentary inspection of government offices is turning into a battleground for the December presidential election as lawmakers focus on accusations of rival candidates while putting other crucial issues on the sideline.

The ruling Saenuri Party raised various allegations involving independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, whereas the main opposition Democratic United Party targeted the conservative party’s Rep. Park Geun-hye.

The parliamentary probe session on the Ministry of Strategy and Finance was scuttled on Monday as parties failed to reach a consensus over the choice of key witnesses.

“Should Rep. Park consistently refuse to summon conglomerate figures as witnesses, her slogan of economic democratization will lose credit,” said DUP lawmaker An Min-suk.

The liberal party earlier demanded that the committee call in SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and Samsung Electronics vice chairman Choi Gee-sung for questioning.

The Saenuri Party, however, lashed back and claimed that the DUP was mounting political offensives against the presidential candidate.

Rep. Park, as well as DUP candidate Rep. Moon, is a member of the corresponding committee but failed to take part in the session that day due to her election campaigns.

In the state affairs committee’s inspection on the Financial Services Commission, the conservative camp took the initiative and accused Ahn of making illicit profits by abusing bonds with warrant in his software firm AhnLab.

“Ahn issued bonds at an exceptionally low price, only to resell them later at a higher price,” said Rep. Kim Yong-tae.

“Should the given charges be proven true, Ahn is guilty of inflicting financial damage on the firm and thus neglecting his duty.”

The ruling party also raised suspicions against DUP candidate Moon, that he may have made undue financial profits during his years as a lawyer.

In the foreign affairs committee’s probe on the Unification Ministry, the Saenuri lawmakers also raised an objection on Ahn’s national security perspective.

The candidate earlier used the term “accident” for the shooting death of a civilian tourist at North Korea’s Mount Geumgang back in 2008.

While leading parties exchanged blows in the parliamentary arena, independent candidate Ahn stayed a step back from the scene and refrained from commenting on the series of charges.

“Most of the allegations raised during the parliamentary inspection are nonessential and will do little to affect the upcoming election campaigns,” said Kim Sung-sik, chief member of Ahn’s camp.

The 20-day parliamentary inspection is to continue until Oct. 24.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)