[Public Opinion Brief No. 134] Global Perception of South Korea and South Koreans' Perception of 17 Countries

[Public Opinion Brief No. 134] A Joint Project by BBC World Service, GlobeScan, and EAI

2013 Global Poll of 25 Countries

1. Global Perception of South Korea

2. South Koreans' Perception of 17 Countries

3. South Koreans' Perception of China, the U.S., North Korea, and Japan

[Appendix]

1. Global Perception of South Korea

1) 2013 Survey Results

- 35% view South Korea's role in the international community as positive, 31% as negative.

- Rose from 12th to 10th place.

- Germany had the highest negative perception of South Korea.

In international relations, power that makes one obtain what one desires is not limited to hard power, such as military or economic strength. There is also soft power, which elicits voluntary agreement from other countries, such as attractiveness and reputation. Among these, we will examine the international reputation, an important element of soft power, and asked citizens of 25 countries whether Korea's international influence is generally positive or negative.

The survey results showed that 35% of respondents worldwide answered that Korea's international reputation is generally positive. 31% answered that it is generally negative, and 34% answered "don't know/reserved." This result can be considered a divergence from expectations, given Korea's economic scale in the international community and the spread of the Korean Wave.

In fact, the country whose citizens most highly evaluated Korea's influence on the international stage as positive was Korea itself. The percentage of Korean respondents who answered that Korea has a positive influence on the international community was 64%. Excluding Korea, the countries with the highest percentage of positive evaluations were Indonesia and Ghana. The response rate in Indonesia was 58%, and in Ghana it was 55%.

In addition, countries that evaluated Korea higher than the global average (35%) include Australia (45%) and China (44%) in Asia; the United States (47%) and Canada (38%) in North America; Spain (43%), the United Kingdom (41%), and France (37%) in Europe; Chile (40%) in South America; and Nigeria (48%) in Africa.

Countries with a low positive evaluation rate, i.e., those that responded positively to Korea's influence on the international community, include Germany, Greece, Japan, India, and Egypt. First, the positive evaluation rate for Korea by German citizens was only 17%. This is a stark contrast to the Korean respondents, who answered that Germany's influence on the international community is generally positive at a rate of 76%, second only to Canada's 77%.

Similarly, the percentage of Greek citizens who positively evaluated Korea's influence on the international community was only 18%. Among Japanese citizens, with whom bilateral tensions have been escalating since last year, the positive evaluation rate was also only 19%. The percentage of Indian citizens who positively evaluated Korea was also merely 19%. Egyptian citizens, who showed a 31% positive evaluation rate for North Korea, responded positively to Korea at only 20%.

Conversely, the country whose citizens evaluated Korea most negatively was Germany. The percentage of German citizens who negatively evaluated Korea's influence on the international community reached 65%. This result clearly shows a difference in negative evaluation rates between the citizens of the two countries, compared to the 8% negative evaluation rate by Korean citizens towards Germany. This negative assessment of Korea's international role by German citizens is a characteristic also observed towards China, Japan, and Brazil, excluding four risk countries. The positive evaluation rates reported by German citizens were only 13% for China, 28% for Japan, and 19% for Brazil. They showed only a 35% positive evaluation rate for the United States. On the other hand, German citizens held relatively high positive perceptions of the United Kingdom, France, the EU, and their own country within the European region. The percentage of positive evaluations for the UK and France was 48%, for the EU it was 59%, and for their own country it was the highest at 64%. Based solely on these results, it can be concluded that German citizens evaluate major countries in the European region relatively positively in terms of their international roles, while evaluating major countries in other regions relatively stingily.

Excluding Germany, where the absolute value of the negative evaluation rate was high, the negative evaluation rate for Korea's international role in all other participating countries was 40% or lower. Countries with relatively high negative evaluation rates include France, Mexico, Egypt, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. Among French citizens, the percentage of those who negatively evaluated Korea's international role was 47%, which is 10 percentage points (P) higher than the 37% who evaluated it positively. The negative evaluation rates among Mexican and Egyptian citizens were 45%, and among Canadian citizens it was 41%. The negative evaluation rates in the UK and Turkey were 40%.

Countries with relatively low negative evaluation rates were predominantly Asian countries. Among Indonesian citizens, the percentage who negatively evaluated Korea's international role was only 17%. The response rate among Indian citizens was 19%, and the response rates among Pakistani and Spanish citizens were 21%. In addition, the response rates among citizens of Russia, Peru, Ghana, and Nigeria were all 25% or lower.

In addition to the positive and negative evaluation rates, the "don't know/reserved" category is also noteworthy. This is because the proportion of "don't know/reserved" can be used as a reference to gauge the level of knowledge, awareness, and preference that citizens of a country hold regarding Korea's international role. First, Indian citizens showed the highest response rate in this category, with 62% answering "don't know/reserved." Japanese and Pakistani citizens also showed response rates of 53% and 50%, respectively. The response rates among citizens of Greece, Peru, Russia, and Poland were all in the 40% range. This indicates that there are still countries that are not well-informed about Korea.

[Figure 1] International Reputation of Korea as Seen by the World (%)

The difference between the positive and negative evaluation rates of Korea's international role, as assessed by citizens of the 25 participating countries, was compared. First, we examined countries where the positive evaluation rate was higher than the negative evaluation rate (i.e., a positive difference). Korea showed the largest difference at 42 percentage points (p). Indonesia showed the second largest difference at 41 percentage points (p). Ghana, Nigeria, and Spain showed relatively high differences in the 20% range compared to other countries. This was followed by China, Chile, Russia, and the United States. The countries with the smallest difference were India, the United Kingdom, and Poland. The difference in India was 0 percentage points (p), in the UK it was 1 percentage point (p), and in Poland it was 2 percentage points (p).

Conversely, we examined countries where the negative evaluation rate was higher than the positive evaluation rate (i.e., a negative difference). Germany showed the largest difference at -48 percentage points (p). This was followed by Egypt at -25 percentage points (p) and Mexico at -21 percentage points (p). Greece, France, and Turkey also showed differences in the -10% range, indicating that negative evaluations of Korea's international role exceeded positive evaluations. Japan also had a 9 percentage point (p) higher negative evaluation rate.

[Figure 2] Difference in Positive and Negative Evaluations of Korea's International Role (%)

2) Changes in Survey Results for Korea

- Spain ranked first in increased positive evaluation rate; Japan ranked first in decreased positive evaluation rate.

- Egypt, Japan, and Canada showed increased negative evaluations for three consecutive years.

The positive and negative evaluation results for Korea's international role this year were compared with the survey results from 2012 and 2011. First, comparing with the 2012 positive evaluation results, Spain showed the most significant change. The positive evaluation rate for Korea's international role among Spanish citizens increased by 22 percentage points (p) compared to the 2012 survey. Ghana and Chile also saw an increase of over 10 percentage points (p) in their positive evaluation rates. Conversely, countries where the positive evaluation rate decreased include Japan, Nigeria, Canada, and Egypt. This is because the positive evaluation rate for Korea's international role decreased by 15 percentage points (p) in Japan and Nigeria. In Canada and Egypt, the positive evaluation rate decreased by 14 percentage points (p) and 10 percentage points (p), respectively.

Comparing the survey results from 2011 with this year's results, the countries showing the largest increase were Spain, Ghana, and Pakistan, in that order. In these three countries, the positive evaluation rate for Korea's international role increased by over 10 percentage points (p). Conversely, comparing the survey results from 2011 with this year's results, the countries showing the largest decrease were Korea and Japan. The percentage of Korean respondents who answered that Korea's international role is generally positive decreased by 20 percentage points (p), and among Japanese respondents, it decreased by 14 percentage points (p).

Looking at the changes in positive evaluation results over the past three years, from 2011 to the present, Pakistan and Russia are the countries where the positive evaluation rate has increased for three consecutive years. Conversely, Germany, Australia, and Brazil are the countries where the positive evaluation rate has decreased for three consecutive years.

Compared to the 2012 survey results, nine countries showed an increase of 10 percentage points (p) or more in their negative evaluation rates: Germany, Ghana, Mexico, Egypt, Kenya, Peru, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Among these, Germany showed the largest increase of 19 percentage points (p), and Ghana showed the second largest increase of 18 percentage points (p). Conversely, countries with a large decrease were Spain, Korea, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Among Spanish citizens, the negative evaluation rate for Korea's international role decreased by 20 percentage points (p).

Comparing the survey results from 2011 with this year's results, countries where the negative evaluation rate increased by 10 percentage points (p) or more include Egypt, Japan, Ghana, Germany, and Canada. The increase in Egypt and Japan was 17 percentage points (p). Conversely, the countries where the negative evaluation rate decreased the most compared to the 2011 survey results were Spain and China. The percentage of Spanish citizens who negatively evaluated Korea's international role decreased by 25 percentage points (p), and the response rate in China also decreased by 22 percentage points (p).

Looking at the changes in negative evaluation results over the past three years, from 2011 to the present, Egypt, Japan, and Canada are the countries where the negative evaluation rate has increased for three consecutive years. Conversely, Spain is the country where the negative evaluation rate has decreased for three consecutive years.

[Table 1] Changes in Evaluation of Korea's International Role (%)

2. Reputation of Koreans in 17 Countries

1) 2013 Survey Results

- Canada ranked first in positive evaluation by Korean citizens; Germany ranked second.

- North Korea ranked first in negative evaluation; Japan ranked third; China ranked fourth.

We examined the evaluation results of the international role of 17 surveyed countries held by Korean citizens. First, in terms of positive evaluations, Canada received the highest response rate. The positive evaluation rate for Canada by Korean citizens reached 77%, followed by Germany at 76%. The positive evaluation rates for the United Kingdom, the EU, France, and Korea were also relatively high, all surveyed in the 60% range. North Korea received the most negative evaluation, with a response rate of 4%. Iran also received negative evaluations for its role in the international community, with a response rate of 8%. Pakistan, Iran, China, and Israel also received negative evaluations for their international roles. The positive evaluation rate for Pakistan was only 15%, for Japan it was 21%, and for China and Israel it was 23%.

Looking at the negative evaluation rates, North Korea showed the highest response rate. The percentage of Korean citizens who negatively evaluated North Korea's international role reached 90%. Iran also showed a high negative evaluation rate, with a response rate of 73%. Japan and China also had high negative evaluation rates, with 67% for Japan and 61% for China. Conversely, countries with low negative evaluation rates were Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the EU, and Korea, in that order. The response rates ranged from 8% to 15%. This result offers a glimpse into the extremely favorable perception that Korean citizens hold towards European countries.

[Figure 3] Survey Results of Koreans (%)

2) Changes in Survey Results

- Rapidly increasing negative evaluations of Japan

- Sharp decrease in positive evaluations of China

- Korea's positive evaluation increased from 57% to 64%

This year's survey results were compared with those from 2012. First, the countries with the largest increase in positive evaluation rates were Korea, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Korea saw a 7 percentage point (p) increase in its positive evaluation rate, while the UK and Canada saw a 5 percentage point (p) increase. Conversely, the countries with the largest decrease in positive evaluation rates were Japan, China, and India. Notably, the positive evaluation rate for Japan decreased by 17 percentage points (p). The positive evaluation rate for China also decreased by 10 percentage points (p). These results indicate a negative perception among Korean citizens towards the international roles of neighboring countries.

Comparing with the survey results from January 2011, two characteristics can be identified. First, except for North Korea, for which the positive evaluation rate was already very low, the positive evaluation rate decreased for all surveyed countries. This reflects changes in Korean citizens' perceptions of the international roles of other countries since the European sovereign debt crisis began in earnest. Second, the decrease in the rate for Japan reached 47 percentage points (p). This indicates how negatively the perception of Japan has changed among Korean citizens since 2011.

There were also changes in negative evaluation rates compared to the 2012 survey results. First, the negative evaluation rate for Japan increased by 9 percentage points (p). This indicates that negative perceptions of Japan have further intensified this year compared to 2012. Conversely, Korea was the country with the largest decrease in the negative evaluation rate. This suggests a significant decrease in the percentage of Korean citizens who negatively evaluate Korea's role in the international community. Additionally, the negative evaluation rates for Canada, Israel, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and the EU decreased by more than 10 percentage points.

The changes observed in the comparison of negative evaluation rates between the 2012 and 2013 surveys become even more pronounced when compared to the 2011 survey results. Comparing the 2013 and 2011 survey results, the most significant change occurred with Japan. This is because the negative evaluation rate for Japan in the international community increased by 47 percentage points (p). The negative evaluation rate for India also increased by 20 percentage points (p), while the negative evaluation rates for China, the United States, and the EU increased by 8 percentage points (p). Conversely, there were seven countries where the negative evaluation rate decreased, with Iran and Pakistan showing the largest decrease. The negative evaluation rate for these two countries decreased by 8 percentage points (p) each.

[Table 2] Changes in Koreans' Evaluation of 17 Countries (%)

3. Perception of Koreans Regarding the Reputation of China, the US, North Korea, and Japan

1) Mutual Perception of Korea, the US, China, and Japan

- Among Korean citizens, the order of positive evaluation is US > China > Japan.

- Among US citizens, the order of positive evaluation is Japan > Korea > China.

- Among Chinese citizens, the order of positive evaluation is Korea > US > Japan.

- Among Japanese citizens, the order of positive evaluation is US > Korea > China.

The survey conducted in 2013 examined the mutual perceptions of Korean, US, Chinese, and Japanese citizens regarding their international roles, revealing differences in these perceptions. Based solely on positive evaluation rates, Korean citizens showed a 58% positive evaluation rate for the United States in terms of its international role. The positive evaluation rate for China was 23%, and for Japan it was 21%. This indicates that Korean citizens positively evaluate the international roles of the US, China, and Japan in the order of US > China > Japan.

The percentage of US citizens who positively evaluated Korea's international role was 47%. The percentage who positively evaluated China was 23%, and the percentage who positively evaluated Japan was 66%. In evaluating the international roles of Korea, China, and Japan, US citizens show a positive evaluation order of Japan > Korea > China.

The percentage of Chinese citizens who positively evaluated Korea's international role was 44%. The percentage who positively evaluated the United States was 20%, and the percentage who positively evaluated Japan was 17%. With positive evaluation rates below 50% for all three countries (Korea, US, Japan), Chinese citizens evaluate the international roles of these three countries in the order of Korea > US > Japan.

The percentage of Japanese citizens who positively evaluated Korea's international role was 19%. The percentage who positively evaluated the United States was 42%, and the percentage who positively evaluated China was a mere 5%. With positive evaluation rates below 50% for all three countries (Korea, US, China), Japanese citizens evaluate the international roles of these three countries in the order of US > Korea > China.

[Figure 4] Mutual Reputation Results of South Korea, the US, China, and Japan (%)

In the 2013 survey, the evaluation results of the international role of the US, China, and Japan by the Korean public show differences from past results. North Korea was added to these three countries, and the results were compared with those of the 2011 and 2012 surveys. First, looking at the positive evaluation ratio, the country that received the highest positive evaluation in the 2011 survey was the United States, with a response rate of 74%. Japan received a positive evaluation rate of 68%, and China received a positive evaluation rate of 38%. The positive evaluation rate for North Korea was only 3%. In 2012, the positive evaluation rate for China was notable. The positive evaluation rates for the US and Japan also decreased. The actual positive evaluation rate by the public for China's international role decreased by 30 percentage points (p) to 38% compared to the 2011 survey results. The positive evaluation rate for the US decreased to 62%, and the positive evaluation rate for Japan decreased to 33%. The positive evaluation rate for North Korea was 6%.

Based on the negative evaluation ratio, North Korea was the country that received the most negative evaluation in the 2011 survey. The proportion of Korean citizens who evaluated North Korea negatively was 95%. The proportion who evaluated China negatively was 53%. The negative evaluation rates for Japan and the US were only 20% and 19%, respectively. However, the 2012 survey showed a significant increase in the negative evaluation ratio compared to the 2011 survey. The country with the largest increase was Japan. The negative evaluation rate for Japan increased by 38 percentage points (p) to 58% compared to the 2011 survey results. The US also increased by 15 percentage points (p) to 64% compared to the 2011 survey results. China increased by 11 percentage points (p) to 64%.

[Figure 5] Changes in Reputation of the US, China, Japan, and North Korea (%)

2) Factors Influencing South Koreans' Reputation of the US, China, and Japan

- Key factors are diplomacy and economy

- Negative impact of foreign policy: China 77%, Japan 96%

- Economic factors: Negative impact from China, positive impact from Japan

A survey was conducted with five options to investigate which factors Korean citizens primarily considered when evaluating the international roles of the US, China, and Japan. As this was a survey on international reputation, foreign policy was cited as the most frequent factor. First, the proportion of respondents who considered foreign policy when evaluating the international role of the United States was 50%. For China, the response rate was 38%, and for Japan, it was 57%. The proportion citing arts, music, food, and traditional culture was 6% for the US, 13% for China, and 9% for Japan. The proportion citing the (domestic) governance style of the country's government was 24% for the US, 13% for China, and 14% for Japan. The proportion citing economy, products, and services was 18% for the US, 31% for China, and 16% for Japan.

[Figure 6] Factors of Reputation for the US, China, and Japan (%)

Note) Don't know/No response (response rate 1-2%) were excluded from the analysis.

We examined the directionality of these factors in evaluating the international role of each country, i.e., whether they influenced positive or negative evaluations.

First, regarding foreign policy, it positively influenced the evaluation of the US, but not China and Japan. In particular, for Japan, the proportion of respondents for whom Japan's foreign policy negatively influenced the evaluation reached 96%. For arts, music, food, and traditional culture, all three countries showed a relatively positive influence, but the response rate for the US was 88%, which was higher compared to China and Japan. Regarding governance style, it had a negative influence on China (95%) and Japan (74%), excluding the US (71%). For economy, products, and services, the proportion of positive influence was high for the US (71%) and Japan (85%), but conversely, the proportion of negative influence on China (85%) was high.

[Table 3] Direction of Reputation Factors for the US, China, and Japan (%)

Note) Don't know/No response (response rate 1-2%) were excluded from the analysis.