Majority of Americans support S. Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project: poll

A survey of 1,207 American adults found that 58 percent support South Korea developing nuclear-powered submarines, while 71 percent oppose Seoul developing nuclear weapons. Support for the submarine project crossed party lines, reaching 56 percent among Democrats, 64 percent among Republicans and 62 percent among independents. The survey also found positive views of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and continued opposition to North Korea retaining nuclear weapons.

The survey was conducted jointly by the Korea Economic Institute of America and YouGov among American adults from Aug. 21 to Sept. 1.

South Korea is pursuing conventionally armed, nuclear-propelled submarines following security agreements reached at a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October of last year.

Sixty-four percent of respondents said the South Korea-U.S. alliance serves American national security interests, while 56 percent supported maintaining or increasing the current U.S. troop presence in South Korea.

Seventy-one percent favored using U.S. troops to defend South Korea if North Korea invaded, and 68 percent held a favorable view of South Korea.

Eighty-seven percent said it was important for North Korea to give up its nuclear capabilities, while 55 percent supported another Trump-Kim Jong-un summit under various conditions.

Published Oct 9, 2026 12:36 am KST

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony for the U.S. leader ahead of their talks at the National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, southeastern South Korea, on Oct. 29, 2025. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — Nearly six in 10 Americans support South Korea's project to develop nuclear-powered submarines, a survey showed Thursday, while a strong majority oppose Seoul acquiring nuclear weapons.

The survey, conducted jointly by the Washington-based Korea Economic Institute of America and data analytics firm YouGov among 1,207 American adults from Aug. 21-Sept. 1, found that 58 percent supported South Korea's development of nuclear-powered submarines, with 42 percent opposing it.

Support was broadly bipartisan, with 56 percent of self-identifying Democrats and 64 percent of Republicans backing the development of the submarines. Among independents, 62 percent expressed support.

South Korea is pushing to build conventionally armed, nuclear-propelled submarines following security agreements reached during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October of last year.

Public support for nuclear-powered submarines, however, did not extend into support for South Korea possessing nuclear weapons, with 71 percent of those polled opposing Seoul developing nuclear weapons.

The survey also found broadly positive attitudes toward the South Korea-U.S. alliance, with 64 percent saying that the alliance serves American national security interests, including 71 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Republicans.

Also, 56 percent supported either maintaining or increasing the current U.S. troop presence in South Korea, while 71 percent said they would favor using U.S. troops to defend South Korea in the event of a North Korean invasion.

Overall, 68 percent of Americans held a favorable view of South Korea, while 7 percent had an unfavorable view and 25 percent were unsure, according to the survey.

The survey also showed that Americans remain strongly opposed to North Korea retaining its nuclear weapons. It showed that 87 percent said it was important for North Korea to give up its nuclear capabilities, largely unchanged from 85 percent in 2020.

Despite strongly negative views of North Korea, Americans also showed openness to renewed diplomacy with Pyongyang.

Of the respondents, 55 percent supported another summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un under various conditions -- 18 percent supported a meeting without preconditions, while 20 percent favored a summit if the North first agrees to give up its nuclear weapons.

一项针对1207名美国成年人的调查发现，58%的受访者支持韩国发展核动力潜艇，而71%的受访者反对首尔发展核武器。对潜艇项目的支持跨越了党派界限，民主党人中支持率为56%，共和党人中为64%，独立人士中为62%。该调查还发现，受访者对韩美同盟持积极态度，并继续反对朝鲜保留核武器。

该调查由美国韩国经济研究所和YouGov于8月21日至9月1日期间对美国成年人联合进行。

根据去年10月韩国总统李在明和美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在峰会上达成的安全协议，韩国正在寻求建造常规武装的核动力潜艇。

64%的受访者表示，韩美同盟符合美国的国家安全利益，而56%的受访者支持维持或增加目前美国在韩国的驻军。

71%的人赞成在朝鲜入侵韩国时动用美军保卫韩国，68%的人对韩国持好感。

87%的人认为朝鲜放弃核能力很重要，而55%的人支持在各种条件下再次举行特朗普与金正恩峰会。

发布于2026年10月9日凌晨12:36（韩国标准时间）

2025年10月29日，韩国总统李在明（右）和美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在韩国东南部庆尚北道庆州市国立博物馆出席欢迎仪式，随后举行会谈。（韩联社）

华盛顿——周四公布的一项调查显示，近六成美国人支持韩国发展核动力潜艇的项目，而绝大多数人反对首尔获得核武器。

这项由位于华盛顿的美国韩国经济研究所和数据分析公司 YouGov 联合进行的调查于 8 月 21 日至 9 月 1 日期间进行，调查对象为 1207 名美国成年人。调查发现，58% 的人支持韩国发展核动力潜艇，42% 的人反对。

支持率总体上跨越了党派界限，56%的自称民主党人和64%的共和党人支持潜艇的研发。在独立选民中，62%的人表示支持。

继去年10月韩国总统李在明与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普举行峰会并达成安全协议后，韩国正大力推进建造常规武装核动力潜艇。

然而，公众对核动力潜艇的支持并没有延伸到对韩国拥有核武器的支持，71% 的受访者反对首尔发展核武器。

调查还发现，人们对韩美同盟普遍持积极态度，64% 的人表示该同盟符合美国的国家安全利益，其中包括 71% 的民主党人和 73% 的共和党人。

此外，56%的人支持维持或增加目前驻韩美军的数量，而71%的人表示，如果朝鲜入侵韩国，他们会赞成使用美军保卫韩国。

调查显示，总体而言，68%的美国人对韩国持好感，7%的人持负面看法，25%的人表示不确定。

调查还显示，美国民众仍然强烈反对朝鲜保留核武器。87%的受访者认为朝鲜放弃核能力至关重要，这一比例与2020年的85%基本持平。

尽管美国人对朝鲜持有强烈的负面看法，但他们也表现出对与平壤重启外交的开放态度。

在受访者中，55%的人支持美国总统唐纳德·特朗普和朝鲜领导人金正恩在各种条件下再次举行峰会——18%的人支持无条件会晤，而20%的人赞成如果朝鲜首先同意放弃核武器就举行峰会。