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| This infographic shows the result of a recent survey of 1,000 South Koreans where 58.2 percent of the respondents said they are optimistic about the prospects for the denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea. Courtesy of the National Unification Advisory Council |
By Jung Da-min
More than half of South Koreans are optimistic about the prospects for the denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea, according to a survey released Tuesday.
In the survey of 1,000 adults conducted by the National Unification Advisory Council from March 15 to 16, 58.1 percent of the respondents said they expect the negotiations between the two sides to resume.
Among them, 51.2 percent said they were "somewhat positive" and the remaining 6.9 percent "very positive."
About 37.6 percent said they take gloomy views, with 28.9 percent being "somewhat pessimistic" and the remaining 8.7 percent "very pessimistic."
The results come while the talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been stalled for three weeks after the unfruitful Hanoi summit in late February.
South Korea's role as a mediator in the "driver's seat" for peace issues relating to the Korean Peninsula was also questioned in the survey.
A total of 63.9 percent said another inter-Korean summit either in Seoul (36.6 percent) or in Panmunjeom (27.3 percent) will be a desirable way for South Korea to mediate between the U.S. and North Korea.
About 11.6 percent supported inter-Korean high-level talks while another 10.8 percent said sending a special envoy to the North would help.
But 41.6 percent of the respondents said the sanctions against the North Korean regime should remain before the complete denuclearization of the county.
About 40.3 percent supported step-by-step sanctions relief while another 13.7 percent said relief should come before the North's denuclearization as an incentive.
Six out of 10 respondents, or 62.4 percent, also said resuming inter-Korean projects such as tourism to Mount Geumgang or operation of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex would help promote peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.
