South Koreans' attitudes toward North Korea and reunification, 2003-2018

초록

Shang E. Ha examines South Koreans' attitudes toward North Korea and the reunification, focusing on three survey questions included in the 2003-2018 Korean General Social Survey. Findings suggest that South Koreans' attitudes toward North Korea seem to depend on macro-level changes in the political environment. When the intrinsic tension between North and South Korea eases, South Koreans tend to think cooperation with North Korea is both possible and necessary. But as conflict grows in the Korean Peninsula, South Koreans lose trust in North Korea and consider it to be a hostile neighboring country. South Koreans' levels of emotional attachment to neighboring countries similarly vary depending on political climate as well. When the relationship between the two Koreas is good, a significant number of South Koreans report feeling closest to North Korea. However, when South Korea (or the United States) is in conflict with North Korea, South Koreans are more likely to feel closest to their longstanding ally, the United States. Finally, South Koreans' attitudes toward reunification seem to be unwaveringly optimistic over time: at least two-thirds of KGSS respondents have consistently reported opinions that reunification is necessary. Likewise, South Koreans' attitudes toward North Korean defectors remain positive over time, without being susceptible to changing political incidents in East Asia. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

키워드