{"id":365030,"date":"2026-08-24T12:56:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T16:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=365030"},"modified":"2026-08-24T14:07:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T18:07:41","slug":"how-south-koreans-view-their-relationship-with-the-us","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/08\/24\/how-south-koreans-view-their-relationship-with-the-us\/","title":{"rendered":"How South Koreans view their relationship with the U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A
A South Korean army tank leaves a pontoon bridge after crossing the Imjin River during a joint U.S.-South Korea military exercise in the border town of Yeoncheon on March 20, 2025. (Kim Jae-Hwan\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Donald Trump recently ordered the Pentagon to scale back annual joint military exercises<\/a> with South Korea. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated his push for military independence from the United States<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S.-South Korean relations have been strained during Trump\u2019s second term, following tense trade negotiations<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center has surveyed the South Korean public consistently for over two decades. Here are five facts about how South Koreans view the U.S. and their bilateral relationship during the second Trump administration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis looks at South Korean public opinion of the United States and the countries\u2019 bilateral relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied global views<\/a> of the United States and its relationship with other countries<\/a> for more than two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center<\/a> and our international surveys<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We surveyed 1,045 people in South Korea from March 3 to April 4, 2026. The survey is representative of South Korea\u2019s adult population. Here are the survey questions<\/a> used for this analysis, along with responses, and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

For the first time in over 20 years, a majority of South Koreans have an unfavorable opinion of the U.S.<\/strong> In our survey this past spring \u2013 before Trump\u2019s call to scale back joint military exercises \u2013 55% of South Koreans expressed an unfavorable view of the U.S., up from 39% last year. That included 18% with a very<\/em> unfavorable view, up from 9% in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer than half of South Koreans (45%) have a favorable view of the U.S. today, marking a 16-point drop from last year (61%) and a 35-point drop from 2018, the second year of Trump\u2019s first term (80%).<\/p>\n\n\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Opinion of the U.S. among South Koreans is near an all-time low in 2026<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
% of South Korean adults who have a(n) __ view of the U.S.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\"Chart\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Note: Those who did not answer are not shown.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Share this chart<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t