Trump’s popularity among South Koreans increases following visit : International : News : The Hankyoreh
Trump’s popularity among South Koreans increases following visit
Posted on : Nov.18,2017 15:53 KSTModified on : Nov.18,2017 15:53 KST
US President Donald Trump and South Korea President Moon Jae-in review a joint services honor guard at the official welcoming ceremony at the Blue House in honor of Trump’s visit on Nov. 7.
Leaders of Japan, China, US, and Russia remain broadly unpopular with SK publicA public opinion poll by Gallup Korea, a polling organization, found that US President Donald Trump’s likeability among South Koreans increased from 9% in May to 25% after his visit to South Korea. In terms of likeability, the leaders of the US, China, Japan and Russia ranked as follows: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In this poll of 1,003 individuals, which was carried out from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16 and released on Nov. 17 with a sample margin of ±3.1% and a confidence of 95%,
25% of respondents said they found Trump “likeable.”
Since that represented a 16% jump from a poll in May (9%), Gallup concluded that “President Trump’s visit to South Korea at the beginning of November appears to have had a positive effect on his image.”
This jump seems to have been due to the fact that Trump defied expectations by not making any explosive remarks or engaging in any bizarre behavior during his trip to the country. In contrast, former US President Barack Obama enjoyed a 71% likeability rating in two Gallup polls conducted in 2013.
When respondents were asked to rate the likeability of the four leaders of the US, China, Japan and Russia, Xi received 29%, Trump 25%, Putin 14% and Abe 6%.
Gallup also asked respondents to name the country whose relations with South Korea were the most important for peace on the Korean Peninsula. The survey found that 57% of respondents chose the US and 36% chose China. Japan and Russia were only selected by 2% and 0.4% of respondents. The response that the US is most important was most prevalent among those in their twenties and in their sixties and above - around 65% - while it was selected by 55% of people in their thirties and fifties. But respondents in their forties showed a tendency to regard the US (46%) and China (49%) similarly. “These were the same tendencies found in polls last year and in May of this year,” Gallup explained.
By Lee Seung-joon, staff reporter
This jump seems to have been due to the fact that Trump defied expectations by not making any explosive remarks or engaging in any bizarre behavior during his trip to the country. In contrast, former US President Barack Obama enjoyed a 71% likeability rating in two Gallup polls conducted in 2013.
When respondents were asked to rate the likeability of the four leaders of the US, China, Japan and Russia, Xi received 29%, Trump 25%, Putin 14% and Abe 6%.
Gallup also asked respondents to name the country whose relations with South Korea were the most important for peace on the Korean Peninsula. The survey found that 57% of respondents chose the US and 36% chose China. Japan and Russia were only selected by 2% and 0.4% of respondents. The response that the US is most important was most prevalent among those in their twenties and in their sixties and above - around 65% - while it was selected by 55% of people in their thirties and fifties. But respondents in their forties showed a tendency to regard the US (46%) and China (49%) similarly. “These were the same tendencies found in polls last year and in May of this year,” Gallup explained.
By Lee Seung-joon, staff reporter
