The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party are bogged down by the intensifying fight over the parliamentary investigation into the National Intelligence Service and the dispute over a past government’s stance on the Northern Limit Line.

Ahead of the June session, the two main parties agreed to give priority to economic democratization and other regulations designed to alleviate the difficulties faced by the general public.

However, the promise appears to have been all but forgotten with two parties continuing to clash over the NIS’ election interference and allegations that late former President Roh Moo-hyun denied the validity of the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea.

The drawn-out bickering over the parliamentary investigation into the NIS’ role in the presidential election appeared to be nearing an end on Thursday when Saenuri Party floor leader Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan and his DP counterpart Rep. Jun Byung-hun met Thursday and agreed to resolve related issues during the June session.

The case revolves around former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan and former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon who were indicted without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

However, only hours after the meeting, Rep. Suh Sang-kee and other Saenuri Party lawmakers of the Intelligence Committee were shown excerpts from the 2007 inter-Korean summit between Roh and deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong-il by NIS deputy chief Han Ki-beom.

Soon after, Suh spoke out, saying that the allegations of Roh’s denial have been proven true, prompting the DP to question the legality of his access to the records.

The DP condemned the move as the ruling party’s attempt to “water down” the issues surrounding the NIS’ attempt to influence last year’s presidential election, and accused the NIS of raising the NLL issue to avoid a parliamentary investigation.

The DP also filed a complaint to the prosecutors’ office against seven lawmakers and spy agency officials including Suh and NIS chief Nam Jae-joon on a number of charges, including violations of the Act on the Management of Presidential Archives.

The main opposition has also demanded Cheong Wa Dae take responsibility for the development.

“If the NIS’ unimaginable violation of the law ― which was planned with the ruling party ― was carried out without Cheong Wa Dae’s approval, it is a coup without guns,” DP spokesman Park Yong-jin said on Sunday.

“If it was conducted in commune with Cheong Wa Dae, then it is the second case of causing disarray in the foundations of the nation led by Cheong Wa Dae.”

With the Saenuri Party once again honing in on the so-called NLL statement by Roh, the DP has called for the minutes of the summit to be revealed in full once the parliamentary investigation is done.

As for the ruling party, it wants the disclosure of records without any conditions.

“Putting a precondition in facing the truth is avoiding the truth, and same as saying that they will not view the minutes,” Saenuri Party deputy floor leader Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun said Sunday.

Although both sides want the records opened, it appears that the chances of such a development may be small, with both of them digging their heels in over the conditions.

DP lawmakers also plan to conduct “limited out-of-arena” actions such as rallies and press conferences to pressure the ruling party into launching the investigation.

As for its part, the Saenuri Party says that it must wait for the prosecution to fully investigate all related cases.

According to the ruling party, the prosecution has yet to investigate the DP’s actions that violated the NIS agent’s human rights and the possibility of the DP securing related information by promising the informant a post within the party.

In the run up to the Dec. 19 presidential election, the DP was informed that an NIS agent was posting online remarks aimed at influencing the outcome of the election. In response, DP officials camped outside the home of the NIS agent, preventing her from leaving for more than a day.

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