새누리당 황우여 대표는 5일, 국가정보원 대선 개입 의혹 국정조사를 둘러싼 여야가 대치하는 등 경색된 정국을 해결하기 위해 대통령과 여야 대표가 참석하는 3자회담을 제안했다.
황 대표는 이날 국회에서 열린 최고위원회에서 “민주당과 박근혜 대통령은 조속한 시일 내에 여야, 대통령이 함께하 는 3자회담을 수락해 국정 현안 해결의 길을 열어주길 간곡히 호소한다”고 밝혔다.
그는 이어 “외교안보와 민생경제에 아주 위중한 문제들이 산적한 이때 정치권이 정쟁을 접고 미래지향적 국익에 충실한 정치를 위해 최선을 다해야 한다”며 재차 강조했다.
황 대표의 제안에 대하 청와대는 “검토해보겠다”는 입장을 밝혔다.
또한 민주당 김한길 대표 역시 “정국 상황이 엄중한 만큼, 청와대의 공식 제안이 있다면 형식과 의전에 얽매이지 않겠다”고 말한 것으로 알려져 3자 회담이 이뤄질 것이라는 관측이 조심스럽게 제기되고 있다.
이날 민주당은 김관영 수석대변인을 통해 ““우리는 박 대통령을 만나 현 정국을 풀어야 한다는 의지가 강하다”며 청와대가 회담을 공식 제안한다면 적극 검토하겠다고 말했다.
한편 이날 국회에서 우여곡절 끝에 열린 국정원 사건 국정조사특위 기관보고에서는 여야가 선거개입 의혹을 놓고 격돌하며 팽팽한 신경전을 펼쳤다.
이날 기관보고는 오전 10시에 이뤄질 예정이었으나 민주당이 지상파 방송사의 생중계 요청을 해 오후 2시로 미뤄졌다.
새누리당 권성동 간사는 이번 의혹에 대해 “민주당이 대선 패색이 짙어져 가자 대선 승리를 위해 국정원 전현직 직원을 매관매직한 ‘제2의 김대업 사건’”이라고 주장했고, 이에 민주당 정청래 간사는 “지난 대선은 불법 선거였다”며 “국정원이 조직적으로 개입한 것으로도 모자라 경찰청이 허위 수사 발표를 해 결정적으로 표심을 왜곡했다”고 말했다.
민주당 박영선 의원도 대선 당시 김무성 새누리당 선거대책위원회 총괄선대부장이 부산 지역 유세에서 NLL(북방한계선) 대화록을 언급한 음성파일을 공개하는 등 국정원의 대화록 유출을 문제삼으며 “대통령의 묵인과 방조가 있었으면 대통령이 사과해야 한다”고 성토했다.
새누리당 선거개입 의혹에 대해 “어불성설이며 정치공세”라면서 “민주당 특정정파의 대선패배 책임 회피이자 당권 우위 확보 등 불순한 의도”라고 비판했다. (코리아헤럴드)
<관련 영문 기사>
Saenuri chief calls for 3-way meeting with Park, DP head
By Choi He-suk
Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Hwang Woo-yea on Monday suggested holding a three-way meeting among President Park Geun-hye, Democratic Party Chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil and himself, raising hopes for an end to bipartisan deadlock over the parliamentary probe into the National Intelligence Service.
“As the chairman of the ruling party, I suggest a trilateral meeting where the chief of the ruling and opposition parties meet with the president,” Hwang said at Monday’s Supreme Council meeting.
“I implore the DP and the president to agree to the trilateral meeting in the near future and open the way to resolve political issues.”
Although Cheong Wa Dae left the question open, the presidential office appeared more open to the three-way meeting than it was toward a one-on-one meeting with DP chairman Rep. Kim.
“As there was a suggestion from Hwang, it will be considered. Many issues will be looked at,” senior presidential press secretary Lee Jung-hyun said.
On Saturday and Sunday, Kim had called on President Park to meet him to discuss related issues but Cheong Wa Dae had remained silent on the issue.
As for the opposition party, it appeared ready to accept Hwang’s alternative.
“As the political situation is grave, (the party) will not be tied down by formalities and protocol if there is an official suggestion from Cheong Wa Dae,” Kim Han-gil was quoted as saying by DP spokesman Rep. Kim Kwan-young.
As the two parties searched for a way out of the deadlock, the NIS’ briefing session at the National Assembly got underway after initial delays.
The session was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., but was postponed until 2 p.m. when it was found that the three terrestrial broadcasters did not plan to provide live coverage of the briefing.
The Saenuri Party’s Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the ruling party’s representative for the probe, opened by accusing the DP of distorting the facts to make the NIS’ normal activities appear as election interference.
Kweon also criticized the prosecution’s decision to indict Won for violating the Public Official Election Act, saying that it was unfair and illogical.
His DP counterpart Rep. Jung Cheong-rae hit back, saying that last year’s presidential election was illegal due to the NIS’ interference.
Jung also raised the issue of the missing 2007 inter-Korean summit transcript, which contains information regarding former President Roh Moo-hyun’s comments on the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, and called on NIS chief Nam Jae-joon to resign.
The parliamentary probe into the NIS’ alleged attempts to influence last year’s presidential election got underway in early July. However, the probe has fallen behind schedule due to disagreements over several issues including the list of witnesses.
With the probe set to end on Aug. 15, it is in jeopardy of ending without those involved in the alleged election interference attempts being questioned.
The DP has called for former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon, former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan, Saenuri Party lawmaker Rep. Kim Moo-sung and Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se to testify at the National Assembly.
The ruling party has rejected the demands regarding Kim Moo-sung and Kwon on the grounds that they were never included in the scope of the probe.
(
cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
