70% of Koreans Hold Positive Views of U.S.

A recent poll revealed that Koreans have the most favorable views toward the United States among 24 countries around the world including Great Britain, France, China, Japan, Egypt and Mexico. Pew Research Center, a U.S. institute specializing in public opinion polls, disclosed Thursday that a poll on attitudes toward the United States and China, economic prospects and other major issues, answered by over 24,000 persons in 24 countries, showed that 70 percent of Koreans hold favorable views toward the United States.

The poll took place in Korea between March 20 and 27, before the issues over U.S. beef imports broke out. In a poll conducted by the same center last year, the percentage of favorable views toward the United States in Korea was 58 percent, 12 percent lower than this year.

Korea had the highest percentage of favorable views toward the United States followed by Poland (68 percent), India (66 percent), Tanzania (65 percent), Nigeria (64 percent), and Turkey (12 percent).

Regarding the candidates of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, the peoples of 21 countries besides the United States, Jordan, and Pakistan, answered that they believe Democratic candidate Barack Obama will better deal with international affairs than Republican candidate John McCain.

On whether what happens in the American economy affects economic conditions in their own countries, 41 percent of Koreans answered in the negative and 29 percent in the positive. The highest percentage of positive answers to the question came from Germany (72 percent), Australia (71 percent), France (70 percent) and Japan (63 percent).

Meanwhile the attitude of Koreans toward China was balanced between favorable (48 percent) and unfavorable (49 percent). In Japan only 14 percent answered that they have favorable views toward China, the lowest rate among the 24 countries.

A significant number of people around the world, 53 percent of Chinese and Australians, 52 percent of the French and Germans, 43 percent of Koreans, and 31 percent of Americans, answered that China will overtake the United States and rise up as the world superpower.

will71@donga.com