The rival political parties have agreed to extend a parliamentary committee conducting an investigation into the fatal Itaewon crowd crush by an additional ten days through January 17.

The floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party(PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party(DP) reached the deal on Thursday, agreeing to vote on the matter during Friday's plenary session.

Following the extension, the parties are expected to discuss the scheduling of a third round of parliamentary hearings and a list of witnesses to call as well as a public hearing on ways to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy.

However, the parties have yet to narrow differences on convening an extraordinary parliamentary session in January, which the DP is demanding in order to open an inquiry of the government on North Korea's drone incursion last week.

Citing the stipulation in the National Assembly Act that largely proscribes an extra session from being held in January, the PPP opposes the idea.

The ruling party suspects that the DP is attempting to thwart prosecution against leader Lee Jae-myung by abusing lawmakers' immunity from arrest while the Assembly is in session. Lee has been summoned for questioning by the prosecution over third-party bribery allegations.