A recent comprehensive public opinion survey reveals a significant disconnect between the American populace and the protectionist trade policies currently being advanced, particularly concerning South Korea. The poll, conducted last month by the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and YouGov, found that a large majority of Americans oppose raising tariffs on South Korean products, while maintaining strong support for the U.S.-South Korea alliance and bilateral trade.

Overwhelming Opposition to Higher Tariffs 

The most striking finding, which appears to run counter to the protectionist rhetoric of the current administration, is the low level of support for increasing tariffs on goods from its key Asian ally. Only 10% of Americans polled supported raising tariffs on South Korean products.

In contrast, a combined 66% favored either keeping tariffs at their current level (33%) or lowering them (33%), signaling a clear public preference for open trade. Support for raising tariffs was notably higher for other major trading partners, including China (26%), Mexico (18%), Canada (15%), the European Union (14%), and Japan (12%), though still a minority view in all cases.

Furthermore, a strong majority of 68% of respondents believe that trade with South Korea benefits the U.S. economy.

Alliance and Investment Remain Strong 

The survey underscores the stability and high regard for the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Security Value: A total of 63% of Americans believe the alliance contributes to U.S. national security.
Troop Levels: Support for maintaining or increasing the current level of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea stood at 60%. Critically, 46% indicated that even if North Korea were to denuclearize, the U.S. military presence should remain—suggesting the alliance's value is seen as extending beyond the North Korean threat to encompass broader regional stability.
Foreign Investment: American sentiment toward investment from key allies is overwhelmingly positive. A majority viewed direct investment from Japan (71%), Germany (70%), and South Korea (62%) as beneficial, showing an appetite for deeper economic integration with trusted partners.
 

Cultural Soft Power Bolsters Favorable Views 

South Korea's cultural exports continue to win over the American public, contributing to a consistently favorable view of the country among 66% of respondents. When asked what most positively influences South Korea's image, the results pointed to a diverse range of cultural exports:

Food led the charge at 42%.
Films, Cosmetics, and Arts were each cited by 15%.
K-Pop and TV Shows were mentioned by 12%.
 

Lingering Concern Over North Korea 

Despite the overwhelmingly positive views toward South Korea, perceptions of North Korea remain highly negative. Only 11.6% of Americans viewed North Korea favorably.

Priorities: 87% stressed the importance of North Korea's denuclearization, while 85% emphasized the urgency of its human rights issues.
Future Threats: When asked to identify the countries that pose a "critical threat" to U.S. security over the next decade, North Korea was ranked third at 37%, trailing Russia (54%) and China (48%).
Administration Handling: Only 28% of respondents approved of the current U.S. administration's handling of the North Korea issue, a slight dip from a poll taken toward the end of the administration's first term in 2020 (31%).
 
Methodology 

The non-partisan poll was conducted last month, surveying 1,181 American adults. The results have a margin of error of ±3.34 percentage points. The findings strongly suggest that despite high-level political pressures, the bedrock of support for the U.S.-South Korea alliance and robust economic ties remains deeply entrenched among the American people.

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