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August 24, 2002
Ministry of Unification
According to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of
Unification, a majority of South Koreans (71.1 percent) endorse the government's
policy of reconciliation and cooperation toward North Korea. In addition, 52.0
percent have positive feelings on the way the policy has been carried
out.
The findings are part of the public opinion poll
conducted by Research and Search on August 17-18. The survey covered issues
concerning the recent 7th inter-Korean ministerial talks (Aug. 12-14) and
North-South Korean relationship in general. Some 1,500 subjects aged 20 or above
randomly selected from across the nation responded to the 12-item
questionnaires.
On the latest inter-Korean meeting, 44.1 percent said
that it yielded significant results, while 29.9 percent answered it had "little
outcome or none at all."
On the question of which of the agreed points was the
most significant, 34.2 percent cited the agreement to simultaneously start work
to reconnect the Seoul-Sinuiju Railway and the East Coast trans-border railway
and road, while 32.6 percent cited the resumption of inter-Korean Red Cross
talks and reunion of separated families slated for Chusok (Korean
Thanksgiving).
Asked about the prospects of the South-North relationship
after the 7th ministerial meeting, 61.0 percent of respondents forecast a
positive outcome, though only 32.1 percent were of the opinion that North Korea
would implement the agreed points faithfully.
Eighty-eight percent of those queried were in favor of
North Korea's participation in the Busan Asian Games next month. As for the
official and public use of the North Korean flag during the Asiad, 25.3 percent
approved the liberal use of it and 37.6 percent a qualified use. | 
