The ruling Saenuri Party won a landslide victory in Wednesday’s by-elections, winning three seats out of the four contested. An independent candidate, former Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae, won the seat in Gwangju, traditionally a liberal district.

The fact that Saenuri Party triumphed despite a political bribery scandal implicating now former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and President Park Geun-hye’s close aides, speaks much about the failures of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy to provide an alternative as it does about the Saenuri Party’s successful diversionary tactics.

In raising the issue of the late businessman Sung Woan-jong’s two special amnesties during the Roh Moo-hyun administration ― the political bribery scandal unfolded with Sung’s memo ― the Saenuri Party succeeded in deflecting much of the attacks initially aimed at the current administration. In the eyes of the public, neither the ruling nor the opposition parties were free from political scandals.

By-elections are usually a low-profile affair. With the snowballing political bribery scandal, however, the contests for the four seats assumed the importance of a general election, a sort of vote of confidence. The seats were also hotly contested because this round was seen as a preview of next year’s general election.

It was assumed that this year could be the most productive year of the Park administration, unencumbered by elections. However, the NPAD, cornered following Wednesday’s total defeat, may choose to fight tooth-and-nail on major reform issues, slowing down urgently needed reforms. The NPAD should resist such urges and work on reforming itself as a viable opposition. The Saenuri Party, fresh from victory, should also resist the temptation to ramrod controversial issues. While the ruling party has won an overwhelming victory, it should remember that a split in the opposition votes was largely responsible for its victory.

With the frenzy of the by-elections behind them, it is time for the parties to focus on the legislative work at hand. Park, who has yet to apologize for the bribery scandal, would do well to do so soon. Meanwhile, the prosecutors should conduct thorough investigations of the political bribery scandal as well as Sung’s two amnesties.