Allegations that the president’s top aides had illicitly interfered in state affairs triggered a political spat Monday, as lawmakers traded accusations.

Main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy lawmakers charged that prosecutors probing the allegations had gone too far, after a suspect linked to the case committed suicide last week. He left a note suggesting the presidential office had pressured him to falsely admit his guilt.

President Park Geun-hye’s governing Saenuri Party in turn said the main opposition was staging a political attack. Saenuri officials said the NPAD was trying to frame the scandal as if a court had already made its verdict.

“Why can’t it be that the Chung (Yoon-hoi) scandal is just a rumor? Why can’t we wait for prosecutors to finish their investigations?” Saenuri Party Rep. Kim Jin-tae said at a plenary session earlier Monday, amid shouts of protest from opposition legislators.

Leaked presidential office papers assert that Chung used connections to top aides at Cheong Wa Dae to influence personnel decisions in top government posts. Chung is Park’s former chief of staff.

The leaked documents also suggested there was a power struggle between Chung and the president’s younger brother, Park Ji-man, citing their close ties to President Park.

The investigation comes amid widespread public distrust of the prosecution, with Hangil Research, a local pollster, saying that more than 60 percent of those recently surveyed stated they would not trust the prosecution’s investigation results.

Analysts suspect that remarks by President Park earlier this month have played a role. She appeared intent on downplaying the scandal, saying it was based on “unconfirmed rumors,” although leaked papers from her office had started the public uproar.

The NPAD has been equally intent on probing the allegations, with a similar distrust in the country’s law enforcement authorities. The party has created an in-house committee to conduct separate investigations and demanded a special prosecution or a parliamentary probe into the scandal.

The governing party criticized these moves.

“The NPAD seems to demand a special prosecution or a parliamentary investigation, every time law enforcement officials give the public a result they don’t like,” Saenuri Rep. Kim Jin-tae said.

Kim’s remarks touched off satirical chants by the NPAD.

“I guess Mr. Chung will be giving you a thank-you call later today,” NPAD Rep. Seo Young-kyo said, her deep voice ringing loud in the large hall at the National Assembly in Seoul.

Prosecutors are running two investigations into the scandal, with one team looking into how the leak occurred, and another team trying to ascertain whether the contents of the paper are factual. The suicide of the suspect surnamed Choi last week was linked to the investigations into how the leaks had occurred.

By Jeong Hunny (hj257@heraldcorp.com)