From Segye Ilbo:
Report Finds Half of South Koreans Don’t Want to Pay for Reunification
A report shows that half of South Koreans don’t want to bear the economic burden of reunification. The voices calling for reunification continues to weaken as this number increases.
According to the results of a report submitted by Seoul National University’s Center for International Studies to the Ministry of Unification and the Korean Political Science Association, when respondents were asked “Are you willing to pay additional costs associated with reunification? If you are, what is the annual extra cost you can pay? 44.3% answered “I would not pay.”
31.9% stated that they would be willing to pay 50,000 won, 11.7% were willing to pay 50,000- 100,000 won, 8.7% to pay 100,000- 300,000 won, and 1.2% were willing to pay 1,000,000 won or more.
According to the report, respondents generally did not feel that reunification was an urgent issue that needed to be resolved.
25.8% of respondents felt “We need to have reunification as soon as possible.” 45.8% felt that “While reunification is necessary, there’s no need to rush.” Close to 30% of respondents felt negatively towards reunification, with 18% stating that “Reunification is not absolutely necessary” and 10.2% of respondents saying “I’m indifferent towards reunification.”
There was a significant difference between how young people and elderly felt about the importance of reunification.
Of young adults ages 19-29, 28.5% responded “Reunification is very important,” 24.5% felt that “It’s not that important,” and 7.1% felt that “Reunification is not important at all.”
In contrast, of those in their 60s, more than 46.7% responded that “Reunification is very important.” Not one person responded that “Reunification is not important at all.”
The North Korean nuclear issue was the largest obstacle for respondents (38.5%) in moving forward with reunification. Other obstacles cited included: domestic altercations within South Korea (24.7%), the cost of reunification (23.3%), and the stance of other powerful neighboring countries (12.4%).
This survey was conducted last year from November 28 to December 16 in Seoul. 1001 male and female adults were selected and asked to participate in in-person interviews. The results of the survey are accurate at a 95% confidence level plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Comments from Naver:
unde****
Welfare is important but as far as taxes, you’ll have to leave me out.[Sarcasm]
whlt**** [Responding to above]
If the President Bitch didn’t give rich people a tax reduction, then we could definitely provide welfare properly. The President Bitch said she wouldn’t raise taxes for welfare but did she lie?
jiej****
I’m afraid of reunification…differences in thought…differences in lifestyle, etc. Living in this society with currently existing gaps is already tough…and we are talking about reunification?
gaio****
If we don’t reunify, our society will only continue to age, and we will be ruined. If you don’t like the idea of reunification, take immigration from Southeast Asia, which you also oppose. In any case, our nation is uncivilized and can’t see the future. People are simple-mindedly like “I dislike North Koreans so I oppose reunification” without giving it much thought.
arj4****
Take the monthly salary and pension that National Assembly Members make and return it. You guys are supposed to work for the people but don’t understand how the people are feeling. Fuckers.
rkaw****
You should also calculate the long-term and short-term costs caused by current division. [to compare with the reunification costs] Isn’t that right? ㅡㅡ
cjwf****
Are people who are so miserly with their money that they don’t have children really going to pay the reunification fee? ke ke ke
고고학
To connect with the continent, we need reunification…but…we don’t need North Koreans. We only need their land. That’s my honest feeling.
read****
Let those who want to invest in North Korea pay the reunification costs or take some from the defense budget if possible. I’m okay with paying the reunification taxes, but this issue will divide the nation. It would be better to make those who will benefit the most from the reunification pay the costs. Of course, it will be tough for several decades afterwards. Besides Russia, what allies or neighboring countries want the two Koreas to be reunified? Ke. As long as China isn’t democratized, Korean reunification is a pipe dream. If the North Korean pig regime is about to collapse, China will help them.
