The ruling People Power Party(PPP) announced plans to push ahead with the drilling of six remaining potential oil and gas reserves and secure related budget, after the first drilling of the "Blue Whale" drilling project failed to confirm economic feasibility.

On a local radio show on Friday, PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se said there needs to be additional drilling, stressing that every country would become an oil producer if oil and gas reserves were found after just one drilling.

At a party meeting, PPP policy chief Kim Sang-hoon said as a country with little resources, South Korea has to take the development risk, urging those critical of the project to halt the political offensive.

Referring to the main opposition Democratic Party's(DP) unilateral reduction of 49-point-seven billion won, or around 34 million U.S. dollars, from this year's budget that had been earmarked for the project, PPP Rep. Lee Sang-hwi expressed hope to reflect it in an extra budget.

Meanwhile, PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong chastised a senior official from the energy ministry regarding the ministry's hasty announcement of the failure to confirm economic feasibility without consulting with the ruling party.