More than half of South Koreans view US unfavorably for first time since 2003

For the first time since 2003, a majority of South Koreans now view the United States unfavorably, according to a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center. The unfavorable sentiment has risen to 55%, up 16 percentage points from last year's 39%, making it the first time negative views have surpassed the 50% mark in over two decades. The share of those with a "very unfavorable" view has also doubled to 18%, from 9% last year.

In contrast, 45% of respondents expressed a favorable view of the US, which has dropped 16 percentage points from the previous year. The survey, conducted between March 3 and April 4, polled 1,045 adults in South Korea. This follows a major incident in 2003, when the deaths of two Korean schoolgirls struck by a US military vehicle sparked widespread anti-American protests, with 50% of South Koreans holding an unfavorable view of the US against 46% who viewed it favorably.

The latest survey particularly examined how Koreans perceive US relations under President Donald Trump's second term. Only 47% of respondents now believe the US contributes "a great deal" or "a fair amount" to world peace and stability, down 27 percentage points from 74% in 2023. The share of those who consider the US a "reliable partner" also decreased significantly, from 83% in 2022 to 57% in the latest survey, a decline of 26 percentage points.

US tariff policies were particularly unpopular, with 85% of respondents opposing them, including 63% who strongly opposed. Just 14% viewed Trump's tariff policies positively. Despite the growing negative sentiment, South Koreans still regard the US as their country's most important ally by a large margin, with 84% identifying the US as their top ally, only slightly down from 89% last year.