S. Koreans say inter-Korean exchanges reduce tension: poll

SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- About 34 percent of South Koreans think increasing
exchanges with the North is the best way to lower tension on the Korean
Peninsula, a survey conducted by a local defense think tank showed Monday.
In the nationwide poll of 1,261 adults, including 60 North Korea experts, over 60
percent said expansion of inter-Korean exchanges would have a positive influence
on changes in the North.
The Research Institute on National Security Affairs, part of the Korea National
Defense University, conducted the survey from September to October last year.
Results showed that 33.6 percent of respondents pointed to the expansion of
exchanges with North Korea as the most important means to reduce security threats
on the peninsula.
Nearly 30 percent cited reinforcing South Korea's military capabilities as the
most important task, while 18 percent pointed to a stronger alliance with the
United States and 17.7 percent chose greater cooperation with such neighboring
countries as Japan, China and Russia.
Among experts surveyed, 40 percent said cementing cooperation with the U.S. is
the most significant, while 28.3 percent cited "increasing exchanges with the
North" and the remaining 15 percent "reinforcing South Korea's military power."
Some 60.1 percent of respondents and 71.1 percent of experts answered positively
when asked whether inter-Korean exchanges will have a positive influence in
changing North Korea.
About 80 percent of ordinary Koreans said the North's nuclear programs pose a
threat to South Korea's security, while an almost unanimous 98.5 percent of
experts answered that the programs are threatening. Only 9.7 percent of
respondents answered the same question in the negative.
Almost 46 percent of ordinary Koreans and 88.3 percent of experts agreed that the
North Korean regime is seeking to gain security through its nuclear weapons,
while 33.1 percent and 5 percent of both groups said the aim is to get more aid
from the international community.
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points,
according to the researchers involved in the poll.
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