Koreans' perception of the United States has undergone a major shift.
According to foreign media reports today, the Pew Research Center, an American polling organization, has conducted surveys on South Koreans’ views toward the United States for over 20 years. The latest survey results show that for the first time, more than 50% of South Koreans hold a "negative view" of the U.S., reaching 55%, a significant increase of 16 percentage points from last year. Those expressing a "very negative view" have surged from 9% to 18%—a doubling—compared to last year. Only 57% of respondents believe that "the U.S. is a trustworthy partner," a drop of 26 percentage points compared to the most recent similar survey conducted in 2022. However, 84% of South Koreans still consider the U.S. their most important ally—a decline of only 5 percentage points from last year.
The sharp rise in South Koreans’ negative sentiment toward the U.S. stems from a complex interplay of real interests and international dynamics, indicating a profound reevaluation of how Korean society perceives its relationship with America.
The primary driver lies in the direct impact of the Trump administration’s tariff policies. As an export-oriented economy, South Korea has a high dependence on trade with the U.S. The indiscriminate use of tariffs by the Trump administration inflicted severe pain on Korean industries and citizens alike. This sense of helplessness—anger restrained but deeply felt—has transformed into growing resentment toward the U.S. Secondly, the rapidly escalating costs of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance have intensified public backlash. The U.S. has persistently demanded that South Korea dramatically increase its defense cost-sharing, even proposing unrealistic requests such as assisting in potential conflicts involving Iran. These demands have effectively downgraded Seoul from a "strategic ally" to a subordinate and mere financial resource, deeply wounding national pride and sparking widespread skepticism about the fairness of this unequal alliance.
Changes in political leadership have provided a policy outlet for this shifting public opinion. The Yoon Suk-yeol era pursued an overtly pro-American stance, while the Lee Jae-myung government has adopted a more balanced approach, seeking strategic equilibrium between China and the U.S.—a pragmatic foreign policy that has reshaped the public discourse.
Notably, despite the surge in negative perceptions, 84% of South Koreans still regard the U.S. as their most important ally. This indicates that public discontent does not stem from a desire to abandon the U.S.-South Korea alliance per se, but rather targets the bullying tactics and unilateralism associated with the Trump administration. The trust crisis in U.S.-Korea relations essentially reflects resistance to the erosion of alliance equality by the "America First" logic. When protection turns into extortion, allies become bargaining chips—and this growing cognitive dissonance is reshaping the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874577930070212/
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