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Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byung-ki (left) and deputy floor leader Moon Jin-seok walk to meet People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seok and deputy floor leader Yoo Sang-beom at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on November 11, to discuss a possible parliamentary probe into the prosecution’s decision to drop its appeal in the Daejang-dong case. / Source: Yonhap News

South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement on Tuesday over a proposed parliamentary investigation into the prosecution’s decision to drop its appeal in the Daejang-dong corruption case, with both sides agreeing to continue discussions at a later date.

After the meeting, Moon Jin-seok, deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), told reporters that the parties “decided to discuss the investigation into the alleged fabricated indictments and disciplinary actions for insubordination at a later time.”

The meeting between the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the opposition lasted about an hour but ended without a consensus.

At the session, tensions briefly flared when Yoo Sang-beom, the PPP’s deputy floor leader, interjected to correct Moon’s remarks, saying, “It’s not about fabricated indictments or insubordination—it should be described accurately as pressure to drop the appeal.”

Moon responded that it was too early to label the case as one involving “external pressure.”

“The parliamentary inquiry has not yet been formally defined, and it’s inappropriate to use the term ‘pressure’ before that has been established,” he said.

He added that both parties would continue to hold talks “whenever schedules allow.”

The disagreement comes amid escalating political fallout from the prosecution’s decision not to appeal the lower court’s ruling against private developers in the Daejang-dong case—a move that critics say prevented further recovery of illicit profits and fueled suspicions of political interference.