The National Assembly resumed an interpellation session Tuesday after the ruling party apologized for blaming an opposition lawmaker for a scuffle the previous day.

   The session came to a halt earlier in the day when all lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic party (DP) stormed out in protest of the accusation.

   The scuffle broke out Monday between DP Rep. Kang Gi-jung and a presidential security officer shortly after President Park Geun-hye delivered her budget speech at the National Assembly.

   Kang and several other DP lawmakers had demanded that the presidential security staff move their vehicles from outside the main National Assembly building so that they could hold a rally against the president.

   When Kang kicked one of the parked vehicles, a security officer stepped out of the car and grabbed the lawmaker by the back of his neck, leading to a shouting and shoving match that ended with the officer being hit and injured on the mouth.

   Kang "displayed behavior unfitting of a member of the National Assembly by beating and grabbing a security officer by the collar," said Rep. Lee Woo-hyun of the ruling Saenuri Party during the interpellation session, prompting all DP lawmakers to leave the room.

   The opposition party has demanded an apology from the presidential office, claiming that the security staff grabbed Kang by the back of his neck and twisted his arms knowing full well that he was an Assembly member.

   "Regardless of the circumstances, it is very regrettable that there was excessive physical restriction against Rep. Kang Gi-jung by a security officer within the National Assembly compound," Saenuri Party's deputy floor leader Yoon Sang-hyun said as the session resumed.

   He also expressed regret over Lee's remarks that led to the session's suspension, saying he would try show more consideration for other Assembly members.

   Earlier in the interpellation session, rival party lawmakers attacked each other over other various controversies, including allegations of the state's meddling in last year's presidential race.

   The opposition party stepped up its demand for a special independent probe into allegations that the state spy agency and other government bodies tried to swing public opinion in favor of then ruling party candidate and now president, Park, through online posts ahead of December's vote.

   The ruling party dismissed the call as defiance of the presidential election results, saying they should wait for the results of an ongoing prosecution investigation into the scandal.

   The rival parties also clashed over a missing transcript of the 2007 inter-Korean summit, a scandal surrounding a leftist lawmaker's alleged attempt to overthrow the government, and President Park's alleged failure to keep her campaign promises. (Yonhap News)