Key facts
- 48.2% of South Koreans surveyed believe unification with North Korea is necessary.
- This figure is a slight drop from 49% in 2025.
- Over 60% of those born in 1960 or before believe unification is necessary.
- Less than 40% of those born in 1991 or later believe unification is necessary.
- 66.9% of respondents agreed that unification is not necessary if the two Koreas can peacefully coexist.
- 70.3% of respondents said they were not interested in North Korea, the highest figure since 2014.
SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- Less than half of South Koreans believe unifying the divided Koreas is necessary, a poll released Wednesday revealed, marking the second consecutive year that support for unification has fallen below 50 percent. The survey, conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, found that 48.2 percent of respondents consider unification necessary, a slight decrease from 49 percent in 2025. Support for unification shows a significant generational divide, with over 60 percent of those born in 1960 or earlier viewing it as necessary, compared to less than 40 percent of those born in 1991 or later. A substantial majority, 66.9 percent, agreed that unification would not be necessary if the two Koreas could peacefully coexist, an increase from 63.2 percent a year prior. Furthermore, 70.3 percent of respondents expressed no interest in North Korea, the highest figure recorded since the institute began its annual survey in 2014. The poll also indicated that 71.6 percent of participants perceive North Korea as a separate state. The survey was administered to 1,003 adults between April 2-24, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.