NORTH KOREA (NK) NOT ABANDONED GOAL OF UNIFYING THE KOREAN PENINSULA
THE US-SOUTH KOREA (SK) ALLIANCE SHOULD INFLUENCE THE NK 2ND-TIER LEADERS
THE US-SK SHOULD RESUME THE MILITARY EXERCISES IN SK
THE US AND SK SHOULD REVISE THE BURDEN SHARING STRUCTURE
THE NK LEADER FEARS NK PEOPLE MORE
Washington, D.C. February 13, 2020 (ICAS) — A sixth new poll conducted by the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS) continues to identify how the current state of the select Korean Peninsula Issues are viewed from a national security perspective of the US.
Conducted to an ICAS audience on the Hill, the poll shows that most of the respondents believe NK has not abandoned its goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula under its terms, and almost all of the respondents believe the US-SK Alliance should push for influencing the NK’s second-tier leadership.
While 56% of the respondents believe the leader of NK fears the US most, it is interesting to note that 36% of respondents believe that the leader fears NK people more than people of SK. Only 6% believe the leader fears SK people more.
An overwhelming majority of the respondents show how deeply they distrust the leader. 89% of the respondents believe that the leader has not abandoned the seven decades old strategy of subversion, coercion, extortion, blackmail diplomacy, and use of force to achieve unification of the Korean Peninsula. Similarly, 89% of the respondents do not believe that the leader has abandoned the objective of splitting the US-SK Alliance and get the US forces off the Korean Peninsula. In fact, 72% responded that they would not be surprised if NK demonstrates sooner rather than later its capability to test a neutron bomb. This may help explain why 97% of the respondents believe that the US-SK Alliance ought to consider implementing an information and influence strategy targeting the NK's elite, i.e., second-tier leadership.
Against such background, 81% of the respondents believe that the US ought to consider resuming the cancelled or down-sized military exercises in SK. However, they seem roughly split (53% yes vs. 47% no) on whether the US Congress ought to consider holding Congressional hearings on whether the US troops are truly ready to "fight tonight." In terms of whether President Trump will make good on American values with his NK policy and his SK policy, respectively, just as he did with Hong Kong policy and stand up for brave people of the Korean Peninsula, 56% said yes while 42% showed no. 67% of the respondents believe that the US and SK ought to consider revising the burden sharing structure to a more equitable and sustainable process.
The survey was conducted from January 5, 2020 to January 15, 2020 via email with a moderate credibility interval. Supplemental graphic data are available on www.icasinc.org/strategy.html and (to be determined).
Inquiry to ICAS@icasinc.org
###
ICAS was established in 1973, as a non-profit, non-partisan, and private educational and research organization and it is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ICAS is not an agent of any government and/or a foreign principal, and is solely supported by voluntary contributions. Its activities and programs rely on the private donations of the general public, i.e., individuals, foundations, and corporations. ICAS promotes pertinent relations and conducts appropriate activities with a special emphasis on multilateral relations between the United States and Asia-Pacific rim nations. Its membership includes individuals from varied sectors embracing academic, corporate, cultural, educational, international and other related fields. ICAS strives to provide public services pro bono publico.