Backlash from disgruntled politicians against a selection committee is a common occurrence preceding nearly every election, and the April 10 National Assembly elections are no different. As with any competition, there are winners and losers, leaving those who didn't make the cut feeling dissatisfied.

The issue arises from the decades-old tradition of nominating candidates based on criteria that have been characterized as vague and unjust, posing a significant threat to democracy. The repercussions of these candidate selections, particularly within the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), are so severe that analysts suggest it's only a matter of time before the party experiences further setbacks, potentially leading to a division.

The list of the so-called bottom 20 percent lawmakers has caused a stir. The DPK selection committee evaluated the performance of its current lawmakers over the past four years, identifying individuals deemed to have delivered substandard performances. Those on this list face bleak prospects of becoming candidates for the DPK, as they risk having 20 to 30 percent of their total votes in the internal competition deducted as a consequence.

Rep. Sul Hoon, who was included on the list, was outraged. He alleged that the selection committee is using the evaluation as a tool to eliminate lawmakers who were critical of DPK leader Lee Jae-myung. He described this........

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