Survey: Anti-Americanism Declining; Increased Concern for NK Human Rights

A recent study has shown that the US has been gaining favor in the hearts of
Korean university students over the last 3 years; while feelings about China
have chilled somewhat.

The study was done by a Japanese group, although I’m not sure just how that fact alters the context (motive to depress the anti-Korean backlash in Japan?). The study was done at five universities and surveyed just under 900 students. Only one, Yonsei, appears to have been a major university. That said, the results are a welcome contrast to some of the polling data I’ve compiled previously.

• 53.8% of respondents have good feelings about the US, up from 31.3% in March of 2002. “Regarding a question ‘Do the US Forces stationed in Korea and Japan contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia?’, 63.9 percent answered yes.”;
• 39.8% reported positive feelings about China, down from 45.3 % in 2002 (the researchers blame the Koguryo and kimchi controversies for this).
• 50.4% had good feelings about Japan, up from 43.8 percent in 2002 (that 2002 result is almost completely inconsistent with what I recall hearing at that time).
• 49.9% reported good feelings about North Korea, but get this: “65.1 percent said ‘the Korean government should appeal to the global community more strongly to address North Korean human rights issues’.” Wow.

It’s just one survey, and I’m somewhat suspicious that the researchers may have sampled a number of smaller, more conservative schools to sway the result. The sample base is small. But those problems also at least potentially existed with other surveys (except Pew’s). But if the 2005 methodology roughly matched the 2002 methodology, it would be the first empirical evidence that “our” side of this debate could be gaining traction. It’s especially good news in the runup to May’s parliamentary elections, showing that Uri and some GNP Chamberlains could be vulnerable on the NK human rights issue.