40% Want Stronger Relations With US

By Kim Sue-young

Staff Reporter

More than 40 percent of the people said South Korea should strengthen their alliance with the United States in 2008, a poll said Monday.

According to the survey conducted by the Hankook Ilbo, a sister paper of The Korea Times, 43.7 percent called for stronger ties citing increasing distrust between the two allies, while 27.5 percent said the status quo should be maintained.

Of 1,000 respondents, 23.9 percent said a more independent stance is required for the country.