Political tension was mounting Thursday despite the normalization of a parliamentary probe into the National Intelligence Service, as the opposition stepped up an outdoor rally and Cheong Wa Dae faced pressure to accept three-way talks.

The opposition Democratic Party ordered its members to take part in a mass candlelight vigil against the NIS’ purported political interference to be held nationwide on Saturday.

The DP upped pressure on President Park Geun-hye to agree to a smaller format for talks, saying it would reconsider if Cheong Wa Dae formally proposed trilateral talks between the president and leaders of the rival parties.

“It is the view of chairman Kim Han-gil that the way President Park viewed the status of the main opposition party leader while she was one, and the way she views the opposition leader now as the president, should not be different,” said DP’s senior spokesman Kim Kwan-young. He added that the DP was still set on holding one-on-one talks with Park in principle.

As public frustration grew over the tug-of-war between Cheong Wa Dae and the opposition, the ruling Saenuri Party called for compromise, including the option of three-way talks.

“While the DP sent a positive signal toward the three-way talks, Cheong Wa Dae counter-offering expanded five-way talks has left the situation hanging. While five-way talks are good, three-way talks should be (considered) to solve the stalemate,” said Supreme Councilor Rep. Shim Jae-chul.

Following the DP’s demand to meet one-on-one with Park over the weekend, the Saenuri Party proposed holding three-way talks among the two parties and the president instead. Cheong Wa Dae batted away both ideas by suggesting earlier this week a five-way meeting including the floor leaders, which the DP protested and demanded to meet exclusively.

Cheong Wa Dae has remained mute since then.

During her meeting with the newly appointed chief and senior secretaries, Park briefly touched on the subject, telling senior secretary for political affairs Park Joon-woo, “Please see to it that a political culture of common sense can be settled in our society, and put efforts into strengthening communication so that Cheong Wa Dae, the government, the parliament and the political circle can operate as one.”

Meanwhile, the DP held a rally in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, calling for “recovery of democracy and reform of the NIS.” The DP has set up a makeshift party headquarters in downtown Seoul since Aug. 1 in protest of what they called the ruling camp’s attempt to water down the NIS probe.

The DP leadership demanded the resignation of NIS chief Nam Jae-joon and an apology from President Park Geun-hye.

“Cheong Wa Dae and the Saenuri Party believe they can defeat the people and are concentrating, without a sense of guilt or shame, on incapacitating the probe and protecting the NIS,” said DP leader Kim.

The party also stepped up demands that former lawmaker Kim Moo-sung and Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se, two key campaigners for Park last year, be summoned as witnesses over their alleged leak of presidential records.

The party plans to continue its regional tour by holding a second meet in Cheonan, and is preparing NIS reform measures including a plan to remove its domestic politics department. The draft will be announced within this month, the party said.

The rival parties have agreed to extend the probe into the NIS’ alleged smear campaign until Aug. 23, and have signed off on a list of 29 witnesses to question.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)