Talks over the special Sewol bill are expected to continue for weeks, sources said Wednesday, after President Park Geun-hye called the demands regarding the bill made by the opposition and the bereaved families difficult to accept.

Park on Tuesday said the most recent bipartisan agreement over the special bill from last month should be considered the final version of the bill, despite calls from the bereaved families and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy to renegotiate.

With the president, the bereaved families and the main opposition expected to maintain their stances, the parliamentary deadlock is expected to continue for weeks. But NPAD spokesperson Rep. Park Beom-kye said renewed talks would not last “beyond the limits of common sense.”

“We will not return to the table with a set time limit. However, don’t expect us to prolong the negotiations for months.”

The parliamentary deadlock has sparked public fury as over 7,000 draft bills sit idle while annual parliamentary audits of the government have been indefinitely postponed.

Talks over the bill have made no progress since NPAD and governing Saenuri Party officials began negotiations in July. The main source of disagreement concerns how much prosecutorial power to grant probers who will investigate the government’s botched rescue operations in the Sewol accident.

Family representatives rejected two bipartisan agreements reached by NPAD floor leader Rep. Park Young-sun and her Saenuri counterpart Rep. Lee Wan-koo, saying the accords did not guarantee investigators sufficient legal powers.

After talks broke down late last month, the NPAD has been boycotting the National Assembly for weeks, vowing not to return until the Saenuri Party gives in to the families’ demands.

The president on Tuesday asked ruling party officials to break the parliamentary impasse that critics say has been caused by the special bill.

Ruling party officials agreed, with Rep. Lee, saying, “I think it is now time to act in a steadfast manner.”

The Saenuri Party has the parliamentary majority to unilaterally pass at least some of the 7,000 draft bills sitting in the National Assembly. But analysts say the ruling party fears that any unilateral action would trigger public criticism that it was bullying the opposition.

By Jeong Hunny (hj257@heraldcorp.com)