Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
9 in 10 S. Koreans view US as most important ally: Pew Research Center
People wave American and South Korean national flags as then-U.S. President Joe Biden's motorcade departs from his accommodation during his visit to South Korea at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, May 21, 2022. Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
South Koreans perceive North Korea, China as significant threats
Nine out of 10 South Koreans regard the United States as their most important ally, with only a small minority viewing it as a significant threat.
According to the latest findings from the U.S.-based Pew Research Center, released Tuesday local time, 89 percent of South Korean respondents identified the United States as their country’s most vital ally.
The survey, conducted between Jan. 8 and April 26, included 28,033 respondents across 25 major countries. In South Korea, 1,042 adults aged 18 and older were interviewed by telephone during that period.
This strong pro-U.S. sentiment places South Korea alongside Israel and Japan among the countries with the most favorable views of the U.S., out of the 25 nations surveyed.
South Korean and U.S. flags are placed side by side during a ceremony for a U.S. rotational brigade held at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, June 18. Yonhap
South Korea ranked second overall in pro-U.S. sentiment, following only Israel, where 95 percent of respondents named the U.S. as their most important ally. In comparison, 78 percent of Japanese respondents said the same, falling behind South Korea in terms of favorable views toward the U.S.
Following Japan, where strong ties with the U.S. remain, 55 percent of Canadians identified the U.S. as their key ally, followed by 51 percent in the United Kingdom and 43 percent in Poland. These figures reveal a significant gap compared to the top-ranked countries.
When asked about major threats, only 13 percent of South Koreans said they considered the U.S. a significant threat. In contrast, 40 percent identified North Korea as the greatest threat, and 33 percent pointed to China.
While a third of South Koreans view China as their biggest threat, 53 percent of Japanese respondents, 52 percent of Australians and 42 percent of Americans share that view.