Fairness has always been the central topic of every era. This was also the banner raised by a party born from the support of the younger generation. However, the series of events recently surrounding a candidate for mayor of Busan crudely reveals how quickly the value of "fairness," in which we wanted to believe, can crumble. From suspicions of opinion poll manipulation to past falsification of student records, and the controversy over a staged act during the election campaign, these bizarre incidents encapsulate the chronic maladies plaguing our politics.

The first thing that stands out is the suspicion of a "self-serving opinion poll." The tactic of inflating popularity ratings through an agency hastily established by a subsidiary of the group managed by the candidate's father, and arranging questions to favor their own interests, is a clear betrayal that deceives voters. Seeing them destroy the rules of fair competition to create tailored results, the electorate can no longer trust in elections, which should be a celebration of democracy. This is a tragedy born from a vulgar lust for power that seeks to dismantle the rules of a fair game and privatize power.

Even more shocking is the academic corruption of the past. The fact that the candidate obtained a domestic high school diploma while studying abroad, simply because they were the son of the school foundation’s chairman, faithfully reflects the unequal structure of our society. The realization that the teacher who assisted in this was even promoted afterward provokes indignation that goes beyond helplessness. The privileges of the ruling class have penetrated the educational sphere, turning the student record, a public document, into a tool for private gain. This illustrates a facet of an abnormal society where foul play succeeds and is even rewarded.

The pièce de résistance is the suspicion that the "drink throwing incident" that shook the election campaign was a self-staged act. That a political performance, which used the pretext of terrorism to evoke sympathy and criticize the other side, was actually a staged farce deserves to be called the epitome of deception. The party leadership took the lead in condemning the incident immediately after it occurred, calling it an act that threatens democracy, but as suspicions arose, they rushed to apologize while striving to avoid responsibility. The incompetence of a party that cannot even control the deviations of its candidates, let alone perform proper preliminary vetting, makes us question what this "innovation" they preached really was.

What remains now is the responsible attitude of the political class. It is unacceptable that the candidate has gone into hiding after the election to avoid clarifying the truth. The party must acknowledge the failure of the system it used to nominate and verify its candidates. Without excising the rotting parts, no slogan can win the hearts of the voters. Fairness in our society is not achieved through slogans, but through rigorous practice and transparent verification. Although this incident has revealed a repulsive face, it should serve as an opportunity to re-establish the standards of fairness in our politics. It goes without saying that there must be fierce vigilance from the voters and thorough judicial condemnation so that those who commit foul play on the fringes of power cannot take root. It is time to demand a politics that takes true responsibility, beyond mere apologies for public display.

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