How many South Koreans said unification with North Korea is necessary in the latest Korea Institute for National Unification poll?

48.2 percent said unification with North Korea is necessary, which is slightly lower than 49 percent in 2025. Support was much higher among people born in 1960 or before than among those born in 1991 or later.

Why did many respondents say unification may not be necessary if the two Koreas peacefully coexist?

66.9 percent agreed with that view, showing that many respondents see peaceful coexistence as a possible alternative to unification. The share was up from 63.2 percent a year earlier.

What did the poll say about South Koreans interest in North Korea and views of it as a separate state?

Seventy point three percent said they were not interested in North Korea, the highest level since the annual survey began in 2014. In addition, 71.6 percent agreed that North Korea is a separate state.

Less than half of S. Koreans say unification with N. Korea necessary: poll

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Summary

Less than half of South Koreans said unification with North Korea is necessary, a poll showed Wednesday. The Korea Institute for National Unification survey found 48.2 percent support, down from 49 percent in 2025. Support was above 60 percent among those born in 1960 or before and below 40 percent among those born in 1991 or later. The poll also found rising indifference toward North Korea and stronger agreement that the two Koreas are separate states.

Key Facts

The poll found 66.9 percent of respondents agreed that unification will not be necessary if the two Koreas can peacefully coexist, up from 63.2 percent a year earlier.
Seventy point three percent of respondents said they were not interested in North Korea, a 2.2 percentage point increase from last year and the highest figure since the institute began the annual survey in 2014.
Seventy-one point six percent of those surveyed agreed with the perception that North Korea is a separate state.
The poll surveyed 1,003 adults from April 2 to 24 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 30, 2026 10:15 am KST

The wetsern sector of the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, is seen from a border area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesdsay. Yonhap

Less than half of South Koreans believe unifying the divided Koreas is necessary, a poll showed Wednesday, marking the second consecutive year that those in favor of unification fell short of 50 percent.

According to the poll conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, 48.2 percent of those surveyed said unification with North Korea is necessary.

The reading also marks a slight drop from 49 percent in 2025.

By age, over 60 percent of those born in 1960 or before said unification with North Korea was necessary, while less than 40 percent of those born in 1991 or later said they saw the need.

When asked if they agreed with an argument that unification will "not" be necessary if the two Koreas can peacefully coexist, 66.9 percent of respondents said yes, up from 63.2 percent a year earlier, according to the survey.

Also, 70.3 percent of respondents said they were not interested in North Korea, marking a 2.2 percentage point increase from last year and the highest figure since the institute began conducting the annual survey in 2014.

Additionally, 71.6 percent of those surveyed agreed with the perception that North Korea is a separate state.

The poll was conducted on 1,003 adults from April 2-24. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

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