Nuclear-powered, not nuclear-armed: What Americans want for South Korea

WASHINGTON — Nearly six in 10 Americans support South Korea’s development of nuclear-powered submarines, but seven in 10 oppose the country acquiring its own nuclear weapons, a new survey showed.

In a poll on Americans’ attitudes toward U.S. foreign policy and the Korean Peninsula, 58 percent of respondents supported South Korea’s development of nuclear-powered submarines, and 42 percent opposed it, according to a report released by the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) on Thursday.

Support was consistent across political affiliations, with 56 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of Republicans and 62 percent of independents in favor.

The KEI has conducted annual surveys since 2020 to gauge Americans’ perceptions of U.S. alliances and other foreign policy issues. This year’s survey was conducted in partnership with polling firm YouGov from Aug. 21 to Sept. 1 among 1,207 American adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

“But support for [South Korea’s] nuclear-powered submarines does not extend to nuclear weapons,” the KEI explained in its analysis. 

When asked whether nine countries, including South Korea, should develop nuclear weapons, an average of 77 percent of respondents opposed the idea.

Opposition was highest for Iran at 91 percent. Australia drew the lowest opposition, though 66 percent of respondents still opposed its acquisition of nuclear weapons.

For South Korea, 71 percent opposed the development of nuclear weapons, including 69 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of independents.

Opposition to Japan’s development of nuclear weapons was slightly lower at 67 percent. 

Support for the South Korea-U.S. alliance remained consistently high.

A total of 64 percent of respondents agreed that the U.S. alliance with South Korea serves national security interests. Support for that view has remained in the 60 percent range since the KEI began conducting the survey.

“President Trump has also criticized the military alliance. He recently ordered joint exercises curtailed, and his administration floated the idea of a partial troop withdrawal,” the KEI noted. “Yet this has not dented public support.”

A majority of respondents, 56 percent, also supported maintaining or increasing the number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. Support was highest among Republicans at 67 percent.

Although the share favoring maintaining or expanding the U.S. military presence declined somewhat from last year, it has remained relatively stable at around 60 percent since 2020.

Support for the U.S. military presence also extended to the willingness to deploy U.S. troops to defend South Korea in the event of an attack.

Asked whether the United States should use its military forces to defend South Korea if North Korea invaded, 71 percent supported such action. Of those surveyed, 36 percent strongly supported military intervention, and 35 percent somewhat supported it.

The remaining 29 percent opposed intervention, with 14 percent strongly opposed and 15 percent somewhat opposed.

Following continued concerns in Washington over a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the survey also examined a scenario in which South Korea and Taiwan became embroiled in conflicts simultaneously.

Asked what the United States should do if forced to choose between defending South Korea and Taiwan, the largest share of respondents, 40 percent, said Washington should defend both.

Another 15 percent favored defending only South Korea, while 10 percent chose Taiwan. Just 11 percent said the United States should defend neither.

The survey also highlighted Americans’ persistently negative perceptions of North Korea.

Some 68 percent of respondents expressed an unfavorable view of North Korea, including 50 percent who held a very unfavorable view.

Nevertheless, support was relatively high for another summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

A total of 55 percent of respondents supported another meeting between the two leaders.

Opinions differed, however, over the conditions for such a meeting.

Some 20 percent said North Korea should first agree to give up its nuclear weapons, while 16 percent said Pyongyang should agree to halt missile tests before a summit could take place. Another 18 percent supported a meeting without preconditions, while 17 percent opposed a meeting altogether.

Support for North Korea’s denuclearization also remained high, at 87 percent this year, consistent with the mid to high 80 percent range recorded since KEI began its surveys.

But with North Korea refusing to denuclearize, Americans were divided over whether Washington should pursue an arms control agreement with Pyongyang.

Some 53 percent supported negotiating an agreement that would allow North Korea to retain some or all of its existing nuclear weapons, while 47 percent opposed such an arrangement.

The Trump administration has sought to modernize the South Korea-U.S. alliance by shifting primary responsibility for conventional defense on the Korean Peninsula to South Korea while expanding the role of U.S. Forces Korea to address broader regional threats, including China.

However, the survey showed that Americans largely viewed the continued presence of U.S. troops in South Korea as a separate issue from North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Asked how the United States should adjust its military presence in South Korea if North Korea gave up its nuclear weapons, the largest share of respondents, about 41 percent, favored maintaining or increasing troop levels. Among them, 32 percent supported maintaining the current presence, while 8 percent favored an increase.

By contrast, 32 percent supported reducing or withdrawing U.S. troops, with 23 percent favoring a reduction and 9 percent calling for a complete withdrawal.

“Americans continue to see value in the U.S. alliance system despite the Trump administration’s regular public criticism of allies,” the KEI said. “Together, the findings suggest that Americans are responding to changes in the international environment without turning away from U.S. engagement abroad.”

BY YOO JEE-HYE [[email protected]]