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

A recent Gallup Korea poll commissioned by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies found that 81.8 percent of South Koreans view South and North Korea as separate states, a phenomenon described as highly unusual. Of those surveyed, 53.5 percent recognized North Korea as a sovereign state, while 38.7 percent saw it as a potential partner for cooperation, an increase of 4.7 percentage points from the previous year.

Notably, 62.4 percent of liberals believed North Korea was likely to launch a military provocation, compared to 54.2 percent of conservatives. According to Kim Byung-ro, a researcher at IPUS, this is a stark contrast to the trend where security concerns typically rise among conservatives and decline among liberals during periods of liberal administrations.

When asked about South Korea's territorial boundaries, 60.8 percent of respondents believed the country's territory is limited to the areas under its effective control in the South, while 28.3 percent believed the territory encompasses the entire peninsula.