The regular session of the National Assembly is to get back on track as the main opposition Democratic Party returns to parliament, more than three weeks into its 100-day schedule.

The DP, which was left without means to end its street campaign without losing face after its demands were effectively denied by President Park Geun-hye on Sept. 16, is promising a tough session.

Speaking at the party’s general meeting on Monday, DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil said that the party would raise the pressure on the government both within and outside the parliament, calling on DP lawmakers to treat parliamentary procedures as matters of “life and death.”

“It is the privilege and duty of opposition lawmakers to fight within the parliament. That is also the right way to gain the public’s support,” Kim said.

Kim also requested DP floor leader Rep. Jun Byung-hun to head the “24-hour emergency parliamentary operations headquarters.” Kim also called on all DP lawmakers to remain within the grounds of the National Assembly around the clock except when aiding the party’s street campaign.

Jun, a hardliner who took the post in May, has warned in a recent interview that the party would resist motions it deems undesirable to prove to the ruling Saenuri Party and the president that state affairs cannot be conducted without the cooperation of the main opposition.

In addition to issues regarding government operations and legislations, the DP is gearing up to raise allegations surrounding the resignation of Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook as a key issue.

Chae has been accused of having a son through an extramarital affair, and was allegedly pressured by the Ministry of Justice and the presidential office to resign.

While the DP is returning to the parliament, the party also plans to intensify its street campaign with its chairman taking the lead.

The DP has been staging a street campaign to pressure the government and the ruling Saenuri Party over issues surrounding the National Intelligence Service’s alleged involvement in last year’s presidential election since August.

As for the street campaign, Kim said that he will tour the country to promote the party’s cause, and that he will form an alliance with like-minded nongovernmental organizations and prominent figures.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)