Why are leftists so utterly devoid of conscience and unable to put themselves in others' shoes? It's simply incomprehensible.

On my article discussing the righteous anger of young people in their 20s and 30s who had their voting rights usurped, a visitor left a seemingly polite comment: "It's a bigger problem that far-right forces carrying the Taegukgi (Korean national flag) interfere, shouting 'election fraud' as if it's their own cause, thereby obscuring the true issue."

Faced with this familiar and shallow defense mechanism, I suppressed my emotions for a moment and coldly retorted.

"Please, put your hand on your heart and look back at the history of both sides. From the mad cow disease rumors to the Sewol ferry tragedy, THAAD, Fukushima, and the Itaewon disaster – has the leftist camp ever criticized itself even once for intervening in others' tragedies and seizing them as if they were their spoils of war every single time?"

Dispassionately review the trajectory of history. Every time a great tragedy or social issue erupted in this country, who were the ones who rushed first to occupy the public squares and plant their political flags?

Without fail, at gatherings of pure mourning and concern, the vests of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and flags of specific political factions intruded. They brazenly presented their old demand for 'regime change,' using the pain of others as their host.

But at that time, did any of the leftist intellectuals or media ever sharpen their criticism, saying, "Far-left forces are intervening and polluting the purity of citizens"? On the contrary, they were busy praising and aestheticizing that impure hijacking as a 'great citizen solidarity.'

However, when a constitutional violation by the National Election Commission, devastating to their own camp, erupted, and young people whose votes were stolen took to the streets, their standards suddenly did a 180-degree turn. Regarding the phenomenon of enraged right-wing supporters participating in the protests, carrying the Taegukgi, they abruptly transformed into strict ideological purists, vehemently condemning it as 'far-right contamination.'

Is it a righteous 'citizen solidarity' when they exploit others' sorrow and anger to expand their cause, but an 'extremist right-wing riot' to be rejected when conservative citizens join the voices of the youth to reclaim their stolen constitutional sovereignty? Before this dreadful and nauseating hypocrisy, even a hollow laugh feels wasted.

The essence of the 'far-right' frame they pull out like a family heirloom is utterly transparent. It is the cheapest emergency exit when cornered logically.

In the face of this unprecedented national crime where ballots evaporated in dozens of locations nationwide and crucial evidence was loaded onto garbage trucks and burned in broad daylight, they are incapable of refuting with facts.

Therefore, they demonize some members of the protesters to bury the messenger itself. It's a crude application of guilt by association, implying, "Since the far-right is involved, the essence of that protest is tainted."

Public squares invariably attract diverse ideas and symbols. Whether the Taegukgi flutters or someone shouts slogans about election fraud nearby, the chilling essential fact that a constitutional body stole sovereign votes and destroyed evidence is never erased or compromised.

That narrow and shallow perspective that defines their own side's opportunism as noble solidarity, while participation by others is labeled as far-right instigation. Before ridiculing the speck of dust in someone else's public square, I urge you to first painfully reflect on the terrible history of 'hijacking' by your own camp, which has polluted public squares by using tragedies as political vending machines.

◆ Park Ju-hyun, Writer

Composer, music director, columnist, essayist. He actively shares his opinions on political, current affairs, and social issues on Facebook, garnering widespread empathy. He published the essay collection 'Crossing the Stormy Sea.'