The current situation involving Cheong Wa Dae reminds one of a day in December 1989 when lawmakers were grilling military coup initiator Chun Doo-hwan in front of the public, live on TV.

Parliamentary hearings on Chun were attained nearly two years after the dictator finished his presidency, as the opposition then outnumbered the ruling party. Although one difference between then and now is that President Park Geun-hye is still in office, the opposition also forms a majority now.

Furthermore, there is little justification for the ruling Saenuri Party to reject a proposal to hold hearings on the scandal involving Park’s civilian confidante. As the pro-government party has also been undergoing nationwide criticism for allegedly turning a blind eye to the president’s irregularities for more than three years, it faces an urgent need to address an angry public.

More and more Saenuri lawmakers are highlighting the necessity for a drastic change and calling for the group of lawmakers close to Park to forgo their decision-making authority in the party.

By reaching an internal consensus as soon as possible, the ruling party has to cooperate with the opposition, including the Democratic Party of Korea, to convene full-fledged hearings. It already lacks the power to dismiss such a move, as it is outnumbered in the 20th Assembly.

At the same time, the National Assembly should agree on a parliamentary investigation into the preposterous incumbent administration.

Targets of the investigation should include Blue House secretaries and ministers, as there have been allegations of Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil meddling in government affairs.

An Assembly-led probe, proposed by the three major opposition parties Thursday, is very urgent, as the incumbent administration could aggressively be seeking to destroy evidence.

The Saenuri Party does not appear to want a repeat of the 1988-89 hearings, during which Roh Moo-hyun gained huge public popularity and later became president. But it should be aware that there is a possibility the wrong decision could ultimately lead to the breakup of the party.

The opposition should also refrain from needless competition among presidential hopefuls regarding hearings or parliamentary probes. Too much political calculation might turn voters off.

An official from the People’s Party reportedly said, “In the scenario of Park’s voluntary departure (or expedient impeachment), chances are 99 percent that Moon Jae-in from the (main opposition) Democratic Party will become the next president.”

These sort of remarks are not conducive to resolving the administrative vacuum. The Democratic Party should also correct its inconsistent stance since the scandal hit the nation on Oct. 24.

Like the corruption-saddled former presidents -- Chun and Roh Tae-woo -- who were jailed in the 1990s after the 1979 conspiracy of a rebellion and 1980 Gwangju massacre, Park may be subject to criminal punishment following her departure from office, as a computer found by cable broadcaster JTBC carries evidence that suggests she broke some laws.

In this context, some Saenuri politicians might be trying to block Park from quitting in a bid to evade accountability. The assumption that some pro-Park lawmakers might be implicated in the civilian Choi’s meddling in the administration cannot be ruled out.

On the part of the alleged colluders -- if there are any -- their continued indulgence could be possible if the Saenuri Party produces a successor for Park by desperately creating strife in the rival parties leading up to the December 2017 presidential election. Their intention seems not to be to save the president, but to fight for themselves out of fear of being convicted.

Others in the party need to take the initiative in resolving the current woes, which have led to previously faithful supporters in the Yeongnam area turning away from the party, as indicated by recent polls. The majority of citizens might not mind a collapse of the Saenuri Party.

The party has the obligation to defend itself against critics’ political attacks that Saenuri is a “fake” conservative group. Real conservatives should take the lead in protecting the backbone of the nation through the righteous implementation of justice.