Parliamentary inquiries on government offices will begin next Monday.

The opposition camp plans to question a large number of officials related to the government’s four-river overhaul project, a bribery scandal involving late President Roh Moo-hyun and the deadly Yongsan redevelopment fire.

The opposition also seeks testimonies from former ministers, media company presidents and conglomerate chiefs in a bid to criticize the current administration’s economic and media policies.

The ruling Grand National Party, meanwhile, says it is hoping only the minimum number of former officials and businesspeople are asked to testify in the inquiries. The GNP says it will not accept any of the opposition’s witnesses it believes to be politically motivated.

The wide partisan divide foretells a tough battle in the witness adoption process for each parliamentary standing committee.

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