8 in 10 S. Koreans view 2 Koreas as separate states: poll

An overwhelming majority of South Koreans, 81.8 percent, perceive North and South Korea as distinct nations, according to a Gallup Korea survey commissioned by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies. This figure marks an increase of 4.7 percentage points from the previous year. Only 53.5 percent of the respondents identified North Korea as a sovereign state, while 38.7 percent viewed it as a potential partner for cooperation.

The survey revealed a stark contrast in perceptions between liberals and conservatives. While 62.4 percent of liberals believed North Korea might engage in a military provocation, the percentage among conservatives stood at 54.2 percent. Kim Byung-ro, a researcher at the IPUS, noted this divergence as an unusual occurrence, typically seeing security concerns among liberal supporters decrease during liberal administrations, while rising among conservatives.

When questioned about South Korea's territorial limits, 60.8 percent of respondents held the view that the country's territory is confined to the area under its effective control in the South, while 28.3 percent claimed it extends beyond these boundaries.