Nearly seven out of every 10 South Koreans support the idea of their country having its own nuclear weapons, with only as few as 15 percent believing that North Korea will denuclearize, a poll showed Thursday.

The survey by the state-funded Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) also showed that 64.3 percent of the respondents think strengthening economic sanctions against the North would do little to make the reclusive state abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Sixty-six percent were in favor of the idea that South Korea should have its own nuclear weapons if the North does not give up its nuclear arsenal, the survey showed.

The latest poll came amid growing concerns over the deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea, after the two sides declared an upgrade of their relations with a treaty pledging mutual defense.

Last week’s summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang and their announcement of the treaty have refueled the debate
over whether South Korea should consider having its own nuclear option.

The supporting rate for South Korea’s nuclear armament could have turned out higher, had the survey been carried out after the Kim-Putin summit.

In the survey, 31.3 percent of respondents agreed that the North will not use its nuclear and missile programs to attack the South, sharply falling from 54.9 percent in a 2017 poll.

More than 44 percent said they would choose the option of having nuclear weapons over keeping U.S. troops stationed here, marking the first time support for nuclear armament outran support for the U.S. troops.

The KINU survey was conducted from April 18 to May 16, based on in-person interviews of 1,001 people aged over 18 years. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, with a confidence rate of 95 percent.

Source: Yonhap News Agency