This May 10, 2023, file photo shows the road that connects the South Korean border city of Paju to the now-shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North’s namesake city. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – A record 32 percent of South Koreans said unification with North Korea is unnecessary, a survey showed Wednesday, as inter-Korean relations remain frosty amid the North’s persistent military threats.
The figure from a poll of 1,000 adults conducted by the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) from Sept. 15-17 marked the highest level since the organization began compiling the data in the first quarter of 2015.
The PUAC, a presidential consultative body set up to draw up policies on democratic and peaceful unification, conducts the survey every quarter to gauge public opinion on unification.
Those who perceived the North as a hostile force that should be handled with vigilance came in at 48 percent, higher than 42 percent who viewed the recalcitrant regime as a partner for cooperation and beneficiary of support.
In an assessment of the current security situation, 52.3 percent said it is unstable, compared with 42.6 percent who said it is stable.
On the South Korea-United States alliance that marked its 70th anniversary this year, 44.3 percent said the alliance should be expanded, followed by 36.9 percent who said it should be maintained at the current level. Only 16 percent said it should be reduced.
The respondents expressed concerns over North Korea and Russia’s growing military ties.
Some 71.4 percent said they were worried about the possibility of their arms transfer and joint military drills, with 42.3 percent saying they are “very” concerned about the situation.
South Korean military officials estimated about 2,000 containers of military equipment and munitions were shipped from North Korea’s northeastern port of Rajin to Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East, which is sharply up from 1,000 containers revealed by the White House on Oct. 13, citing satellite imagery taken in September.
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
(Yonhap)
