[사설] In the 22nd general election on the 10th, overcoming backward politics begins with participation in voting.

The 22nd National Assembly election will be held today. The official election campaign ended yesterday. As the early voting rate (31.28%) is the highest ever, the overall voting rate is expected to be higher than before. The People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea appealed for support for ‘checking the government’ and ‘judgment of the regime’, respectively, until the last minute. Looking at the trend of public opinion polls, the theory of judging the regime has always been dominant, but there are also counter-arguments that it is difficult to predict the results as public sentiment has recently fluctuated. Voters should carefully consider which side of the ruling or opposition party they will support before casting their vote.

The 13-day election campaign was a series of disappointments and regrets until the very end. Neither the ruling nor opposition parties were interested in presenting a vision and policy for the country’s future. He frequently used harsh language, incited hatred, and was consistent in his negative comments that disparaged the other party. The leaders of the ruling and opposition parties poured out embarrassing words and worked hard to demonize the other party. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, disparaged the female candidate of the opposing party by calling her a ‘nabe’ (pot). The Japanese word nabe also has a sexual connotation, comparing it to a prostitute. People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon targeted the opposition party candidate and called him “garbage.” Cho Kuk, representative of the Fatherland Innovation Party, shouted, “We will make President Yoon Seok-yeol a lame duck, and even a dead duck.” What is more, the New York Times (NYT) lamented that “Gladiator politics is dominating the politically polarized general elections in Korea.”

In this election, a deformed satellite party appeared again following the 21st general election, and tricks such as ‘loaning lawmakers’ were repeated, raising eyebrows from the beginning. The nomination work of the ruling and opposition parties was also poor. The Democratic Party has consistently shown no response to the controversy over the qualifications and morality of candidates Kim Jun-hyuk and Yang Moon-seok. The caricature of politics is also excessive. The opposition party ignored President Yoon’s statement that a green onion costs 875 won and used it as an offensive material. The ruling party, which has been asking whether Democratic Party leader Lee ate pork belly or beef, is no different. The level of the election campaign of the ruling and opposition parties was the worst.

Still, we have to go to the polls. If we abstain and say, ‘I’m the only one,’ our politics will never escape third-rate status. We must vote to weed out unqualified candidates who have degenerated politics with harsh words, reckless incitement, and real estate issues. It is analyzed that both the ruling and opposition parties will have a very close race in about 50 constituencies. One voter’s vote determines the outcome. One vote today can change our lives and the fate of our nation. If it is not the best, you must choose the second best, and if even that is not possible, you must filter out the worst and choose even the lesser evil.

[ⓒ 세계일보 & Segye.com, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]