Hearts cooled by the flame that once burned too brightly [In the Newsroom]

The aftermath of the 6·3 local elections was far from idyllic, as the intricate politics of the grand odyssey continued from start to finish. From the moment the representatives and vice-presidential candidates began clashing, there was no holding back. The psychological manipulation, secret decisions, and civil war-like atmosphere have left deep scars of mistrust and emotions.

As the party became a 'Light-Dark War', many who once supported President Jae-myung began distancing themselves, calling themselves the 'Critical Supporters'. The President's excessive involvement in the National Assembly's live broadcast made some feel he was overstepping his bounds. Comments from a current member of the ruling party about the President exceeding his delegated range in government operations heightened this concern.

The former Chairman of the ruling party's ruling reform commission, who advocated for 'reform of the incumbent president's succession', left in a huff, leaving a question mark about the extent of the ruling party's expansion. The support for the government, which stood at 70~80% among the 4050 age group, dropped to the 50% range in a Korean Gallup poll in mid-August.

This is no coincidence. The youth-led provisional leadership, which was eagerly revived for the eighth time in eight years, has since disappeared, and this has led to accusations of money laundering. These issues differ from those that led to the disqualification of the previous candidate, Kim Min-seok, in 2022. The situation is more severe this time around.

The optimism of the summer is waning, and the dead end is approaching. The enthusiasm of the supporters has not lived up to expectations, and the challenges faced by the President's office and the ruling party in resolving the issues left by the party are becoming increasingly difficult to overcome.