A growing number of politicians are voicing the need to move on from the controversy over the missing 2007 inter-Korean summit minutes as the rival parties continue to bicker over their whereabouts.

Viewing the transcript of the summit was chosen as the means to verify claims that late President Roh Moo-hyun conceded the Northern Limit Line to deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during the 2007 summit.

When the ruling Saenuri Party and main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers searched for the document at the National Archives, however, it was found to be missing, sparking a blame game between the two main parties.

“Eight months have passed since the presidential election, but political controversy continues on the plane of the election,” Rep. Chung Mong-joon, a seven-term lawmaker of the ruling party, said at a meeting on Wednesday.

“The political arena needs to return to taking care of the economy and the livelihoods of the people.”

He added that an investigation by the prosecution or a parliamentary investigation could resolve the situation, saying that Roh administration officials needed to shed light on the matter.

Chung was echoed by other multiple-term lawmakers including Reps. Choung Byoung-gug and Chung Ui-hwa, who said that politicians should move on from the issue.

Similar views were echoed by the DP’s leadership.

“The truth behind the transcript going missing can be solved by an investigation under the agreement of the ruling and opposition parties,” DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil said on Wednesday.

“Let’s agree to find the truth through the parliamentary investigation into the NIS’ election interference, and to compete on the issue of improving the livelihoods of the people.”

Kim, however, warned the ruling party, saying that singling out a lawmaker and a faction of the DP was crossing a line, and that he would take responsibility as the party chairman who made the final decision to view the transcript.

While the calls to move on from the issue were raised, talk of assigning blame and accusations continued.

The ruling party has been leaning toward claims that the records were deleted during the Roh administration, while the DP has been raising speculations that the Lee Myung-bak administration tampered with the records.

“It is very irresponsible (of Moon) to call for the issue to be concluded without any explanation or apology for the situation before and after (the summit),” said Saenuri Party floor leader Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, adding that Moon not only played a key role in the 2007 summit but that he led the process of viewing the presidential records.

“Moon needs to explain the causes of the problem in detail, and needs to apologize to the public and take responsibility as necessary.”

Choi went on to reiterate the need for an investigation by the prosecutors’ office, saying that political parties searching for the missing documents further will not be beneficial.

As Choi repeated calls for Moon to take responsibility, DP lawmaker Rep. Park Beom-kye disclosed a recording of Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se indicating that he had access to the transcript in the run up to the presidential election.

In the recording, Kwon, who served as a key election official for President Park Geun-hye, is heard telling a reporter that the transcript was “put together during the MB government, I think, after the (NIS) chief changed to Won Sei-hoon.”

Kwon is also recorded saying that a summary of the NIS’ records were reported to the presidential office and that Rep. Chung Moon-hun gained access to the summary “through a certain route.”

Won served as the NIS chief from February 2009 to March 2013, and Chung Moon-hun was the first Saenuri Party lawmaker to make the claim that Roh conceded the NLL to Pyongyang.

Won is currently under investigation for corruption and ordering the spy agency to influence public opinion in the run up to the Dec. 19 presidential election.

“There was a scenario for making a contingency plan to maintain the administration and to prolong the hold on power,” Park said. Park also said that the NIS’ election interference and developments surrounding the summit minutes stemmed from the same place.

“This is a nullification of the election system and blocking the possibility of an administration change.”

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)