[Editorial] It is time to join hands and focus on restoring livelihoods and revitalizing the regions

The June 3 local elections have come to an end, and it is hard to say that the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) won unconditionally. In the provincial and metropolitan mayor races, the ruling party won in 12 areas, while the opposition People Power Party won in four. In the by-elections for the National Assembly, the ruling party won nine seats, the People Power Party four, and independents one.
On the surface, this was certainly not a landslide for the ruling party, but it was also not the sweep it had initially expected. In key battlegrounds such as Seoul, Daegu and Gyeongnam, the ruling party lost to the People Power Party, leaving it unable to claim an overall victory.
In any election, public sentiment does not show one-sided support. It distinguishes between good politics and bad politics through the ballot box. This election, the first held since the Martial Law crisis, can generally be seen as a rebuke of the People Power Party, which was then the ruling party. But in major regions, voters chose People Power Party candidates, sending a warning against the ruling party's unchecked politics.
The public is well aware of the harm caused when political power becomes too concentrated on one side. By giving some support to the opposition People Power Party, voters appear to have intended for it to serve as a check on power. What the opposition must do now is use the strength entrusted to it by the people to help keep politics balanced, cooperate with the ruling party, and guide state affairs in the right direction.
The ruling party, too, must reflect on the public's message against one-sided rule and ensure that it does not try to dominate politics at will. As Lee Jae-myung said, it should accept the result humbly and reflect it in state affairs. Neither the ruling party nor the opposition can claim victory; both have lost. They must accept the outcome, deeply consider the will of the voters, and work only for the people and their livelihoods.
This election also suffered an unprecedented shortage of ballots, undermining public trust in the vote. The National Election Commission (NEC) bears the greatest responsibility. It must conduct a thorough investigation and hold those responsible to account. The cause of this incident appears to lie in the NEC's lax and arrogant management, a problem that has been raised repeatedly. It must also present concrete measures to reform the organization.
Now the ruling and opposition parties should respect one another, cooperate, and above all devote themselves to reviving the economy. This comes at a time when the Lee Jae-myung administration has marked its first year in office. Thanks to a strong export boom, growth has risen and stock prices have surged, so the economic management of the past year can be given a passing grade.
But exports and stocks have only fattened the wallets of some companies and some citizens. Most people do not feel that the economy has improved. Prices keep rising, and self-employed businesses, a key pillar of the economy, show no sign of recovery. Polarization is deepening into what amounts to a league of its own. The ruling and opposition parties must join hands and think hard about how to spread the warmth of an apparently healthy economy to ordinary people.
The newly elected local leaders should also work tirelessly to revive their hometowns and regional economies. This election is a local election held once every four years. If the regions thrive, the entire country becomes stronger. The next four years should be treated as a golden window to bring dying hometowns back to life, and every effort should be made accordingly.
They must not forget the humble attitude candidates showed when they bowed before the public. The same goes for everyone who won this time. Voters remember politicians who become arrogant once elected and then get caught up in partisan conflict instead of doing their jobs. Such politicians will be defeated at the next election.