PRESIDENT MOON'S PEACE STRATEGY INITIATIVE TO A HALT
SK AMBASSADOR'S SIGNAL FOR CHINA OVER US UNWELCOMED
SK INCAPABLE OF DEFENDING IN A CONTINGENCY WITHOUT THE US-SK ALLIANCE
SK GOVERNMENT'S SUPPRESSION OF ANTI-NK NGOS DENOUNCED
SK TO BEAR MAJOR BURDEN
A COUNTRY MUST BUILD THE CAPABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF WHEN
THREATENED OR PAY A POLITICAL PRICE FOR NOT DOING SO
Washington, D.C. July 2, 2020 (ICAS) — A tenth new poll conducted by the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS) continues to identify possible impacts of the apparent dynamics of the Korean Peninsula Issues from a national security perspective of the US.
Conducted to an ICAS audience on the Hill, the survey began with the following question: "Ambassador Soo Hyuck Lee of South Korea (SK) to Washington was recently quoted as saying to the effect that he 'believes his country is now in a position to choose between the US and China amid their intensifying rivalry'". 84% of the respondents do not agree to his statement while 6% agree.
To the question of whether President Moon's "Peace Strategy" initiative towards North Korea (NK) has been working out well, 90% of the respondents do not believe so while 6% believe it has been working out well.
On the recent calling by Yo Jong Kim - a younger sister of Chairman Jong Un Kim of NK – of President Moon an "idiot", 65% of the respondents didn't like her expression and 23% approved it. Given the SKG(overnment) reportedly cracking down hard, in compliance with the orders of the NK leaders, on NK defectors and criminalizing anti-NK NGOs who send anti-NKG leaflets and provocative materials, 77% of the respondents said they would not support the SKG’s move while 19% would support it.
In the meantime, 71% of the respondents do not believe SK is independently capable of defending itself in a contingency case without the US-SK Alliance while 19% believe SK can defend itself. Of that 19% only 32% responded that they are prepared to ditch the Alliance. Of the 71% who believe SK cannot defend itself, 45% said SK should bear the major share of the burden, 26% said the US and SK should bear equally the burden together, and 13% answered the US should bear the major cost.
Relating to the apparent "US-China Decoupling" policy if implemented, 68% believe it will negatively impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula while 29% feel otherwise.
On the "readiness" issue, 84% feel that a lack of joint military exercises of the US-SK combined forces will negatively impact on it while 13% positively.
Despite divergent views on the burden sharing, the respondents overwhelmingly believe that a country must either build the capability to defend itself when threatened or pay a political price for not doing so.
The survey was conducted from June 12, 2020 to June 26, 2020 via email with a moderate credibility interval. Supplemental graphic data are available on www.icasinc.org/strategy.html and in preparation for www.icasinc.org/strategy/polling10.pptx.
Inquiry to ICAS@icasinc.org
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