South Korean Perceptions of North Korea

South Korean Perceptions of North Korea

by Martin Armstrong (Statista)

This chart shows responses to the question 'What is North Korea to us, South Korea?'

South Korea's new president Moon Jae-in was sworn recently, signaling a potential shift in relations with the North.

The liberal politician has made it a clear priority to improve relations between the two countries, saying "I will urgently try to solve the security crisis. ... If needed, I will fly straight to Washington. I will go to Beijing and Tokyo and, if the conditions are right, to Pyongyang also."

As our infographic shows, Moon's sentiment would seem to also be matched by a large proportion of the South Korean public. In the latest of a series of annual surveys by the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, 43.7 percent said that the North is a country they should work together with - an increase of 8.5 percentage points since 2015. The share seeing their northern neighbor as an enemy decreased in this time, from 16.5 percent to 14.8 percent.

The chart above shows responses to the question 'What is North Korea to us, South Korea?'

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"South Korean Perceptions of North Korea"