The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party on Sunday engaged in last-minute negotiations to bring the parliamentary investigation into the National Intelligence Service back on track.

Floor leaders Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan of the Saenuri Party and DP Rep. Jun Byung-hun met in an effort to resolve the deadlock on selecting witnesses for the investigation. 

The meeting was also attended by Saenuri Party deputy floor leader Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun and Rep. Kweon Sung-dong, DP deputy floor leader Rep. Jung Sung-ho and Rep. Jung Cheong-rae. Kwon and Jung are respectively heading the Saenuri Party and DP’s efforts regarding the parliamentary investigation.

The negotiators appeared tense, however, as they blamed each other for the standoff.

In his opening remarks, Choi said that he considered the situation “regretful,” while Jun called for sincerity on the ruling party’s part.

“I ask for the ruling party to be sincere in promising support and cooperation to allow the NIS parliamentary investigation to be conducted properly,” Jun said.

Earlier in the day, DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil again called for a one-on-one meeting with President Park Geun-hye.

“Now is the time for President Park Geun-hye to answer the public. The president and the Saenuri Party should no longer ignore the truth the public knows,” Kim said on Sunday.

“Yesterday, I suggested to President Park Geun-hye to meet at any time, anywhere. This is because only the president has the key to resolving the current situation.”

Since Thursday, the DP has been operating out of a tent in central Seoul, and holding rallies to pressure the ruling Saenuri Party over the parliamentary investigation into the NIS’ attempts to sway the public against its candidate in last year’s presidential election.

On Saturday, Kim called for a meeting with the president as the Saenuri Party showed no signs of accepting the DP’s demands.

While the presidential office remained silent on the issue, the Saenuri Party reiterated its position that the president should not be involved in the matter and that it should be resolved between the two parties.

On July 27, Saenuri Party chairman Rep. Hwang Woo-yea suggested that he and Kim Han-gil meet to discuss “all political issues.”

The ruling party and the DP have been deadlocked over the list of witnesses, putting the parliamentary investigation in jeopardy before it even begins.

Since the investigation got underway in early July, the two sides have been wrangling over witnesses and other details and fallen behind schedule.

Under related regulations, witnesses called to testify at parliamentary investigations need to be informed seven days in advance. With the investigation scheduled to end on Aug. 15, the two parties need to reach an agreement on Monday.

The DP has been pushing to bring Saenuri Party’s Rep. Kim Moo-sung and Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se, who served key roles in the president’s campaign, to the stand.

Kim Moo-sung and Kwon are alleged to have had access to the transcript of the 2007 inter-Korean summit and used its contents against the DP and its former presidential candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in.

In addition, the DP has called on the ruling party to agree to order former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul police commissioner Kim Yong-pan to testify at the hearing.

The ruling party has denied DP’s demands regarding Kim Moo-sung and Kwon Young-se, saying that the two have never been included in the scope of the parliamentary investigation.

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