Comparison of Security Awareness Between the General Public and Experts in South Korea

The realist stance of South Korean experts is also evident in their perceptions of the legitimacy of war and the use of nuclear weapons by the United States. While 30% of the general public stated that "war should not be waged under any circumstances, including preemptive strikes," among opinion leaders, 43% believed war could be waged if "military aggression from the opposing nation is imminent," and 45% if "a preemptive strike is received," with only 6% supporting the stance of "unconditional opposition to war." Regarding nuclear weapons, 60% of the general public held an "unconditional opposition" stance to the potential use of nuclear weapons by the United States, whereas 52% of experts took the position that "nuclear weapons can be used to respond to nuclear attacks."

Further details on topics such as "Experts: 'The Current ROK-US Alliance is in Crisis,' General Public: 'No'" and "Expert Groups and the General Public: 'Oppose Military Action Against North Korea'" can be found in the attached file.