South Koreans' distrust of the North Korean regime and perceptions of its military threat have reached their highest levels on record, a survey showed Thursday.
According to the Seoul National University Institute for Peace and Unification Studies' 2026 Unification Perception Survey, 78.3 percent of respondents said "dialogue and compromise with the North Korean regime were impossible," the highest level recorded since the institute began conducting the annual survey in 2007.
The poll also found that 86.4 percent felt threatened by North Korea's nuclear weapons, while 90.4 percent believed Pyongyang would not give up its nuclear arsenal. Another 83.3 percent said the North Korean regime does not want reunification, also a record high.
Meanwhile, 81.8 percent of respondents said they viewed the two Koreas as effectively separate states, while 61.6 percent said peaceful coexistence and the establishment of peace should be the government's top North Korean policy objective.
The findings come as military tensions along the inter-Korean border have intensified in recent weeks.
North Korean troops crossed the Military Demarcation Line around 50 times in August and September, according to data provided by the Defense Ministry to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party.
According to the data, North Korean troops crossed the line about 20 times in August and about 30 times in September, largely along the eastern section of the border.
The first such crossing this year was reported in mid-August along the eastern front. South Korean troops have responded to the incursions with warning broadcasts and warning shots, prompting the North Korean soldiers to retreat.
Two explosions inside the DMZ on Sept. 21 also injured three South Korean service members during an operation near the MDL. Preliminary investigations indicate North Korean devices caused the explosions. The United Nations Command has stated the incident involved armistice violations, while the South Korean military has demanded an apology and warned of appropriate actions.
A separate survey released Thursday by the Reform Institute, a think tank affiliated with the minor opposition Reform Party, found that 89.8 percent of respondents were aware of the mine incident, and 70.5 percent said the government's and military's handling of the aftermath was inappropriate.
Among those surveyed, 55.9 percent said the response was "not at all appropriate," while 26.2 percent said it was appropriate.
Asked what the government should prioritize in responding to the incident, 36.7 percent chose investigating whether the Armistice Agreement had been violated and establishing responsibility, followed by 32.3 percent who called for stronger military readiness and corresponding measures.
The Reform Institute poll was conducted Wednesday among 855 adults aged 18 and older nationwide.
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