'The North is serious this time': Are people in South Korea worried about war?

South Koreans appear increasingly worried about the possibility of war, a sentiment not seemingly shared by foreigners both visiting and living in the country.

A section of road north of the border along the Donghae and Gyeongui line on the eastern coast is destroyed by the North Korean military on Oct. 15. [RODONG SINMUN]

Since North Korea began launching trash-filled balloons across the border toward South Korea in May, Pyongyang has significantly escalated its provocations, heightening fears among many in the South about a possible war.

This fear, however, does not seem to resonate as strongly with foreigners in the country.

“My anxiety is returning,” said 24-year-old student Kim Yoo-seung during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on the streets of Hongdae in western Seoul, on Monday. “I wonder if wartime is truly approaching and if an actual war will break out soon.”

University student Kim Ga-yeon echoed similar concerns, saying that the North's recent threatening actions and displays of weaponry have raised her worries that “the North could really start a war.”

“The North's showcasing of its weapons give me the impression that its technology has advanced significantly and that they are always prepared [for war],” said the 23-year-old Kim. North Korean state media has been releasing images of leader Kim Jong-un visiting missile bases and nuclear facilities, including a uranium enrichment plant in September and an intercontinental ballistic missile base on Oct. 23.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects an intercontinental ballistic missile base on Oct. 23. [KOREA CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Such frequent provocations by the North — including the recent destruction of an inter-Korean road — over the years have fueled a growing sense of unease among South Koreans. A survey released on Oct. 16 by People Power Party Rep. Hwang Hee revealed that of 1,200 people aged 18 to 75, 41.6 percent are "worried" about the South's security. This represents a 10.7 percent increase from 2022, a year in which North Korea launched a record 37 missiles.

Despite Pyongyang's escalation of threatening actions, this level of anxiety does not appear to be as strongly felt by some foreigners in Korea.

“I feel very safe traveling to Korea,” said Vance, a 38-year-old American who visited South Korea for a trip. “I don’t think the North is trying to start a war.”

Foreign students in Korea expressed similar confidence in the country’s security measures despite the North’s ongoing provocations.

“I would say that Korea's system is well set up and pretty safe. I wouldn't necessarily say it's unsafe to live here,” said Mary, a 20-year-old student from Europe.

She described the relationship between two Koreas as “siblings bickering with each other.”

“I feel safe because there are so many cameras everywhere,” said another foreign student, Maria, who has been studying in South Korea for three months.

This relative sense of security among some foreigners may reflect the record number of foreign residents in Korea, which reached 2.46 million as of Nov. 1, 2023, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the population.

An image released on Ukraine's SPRAVDI social media account shows soldiers believed to be part of the North Korean army. [SPRAVDI/YONHAP]

However, they voiced concerns about the risks associated with the North's recent deployment of troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

“I feel like it's a bit risky because it shows the North’s support toward a greater power, Russia, which is also an enemy of the United States,” said Mary. Both Maria and Vance expressed similar unease about whether North’s troop deployment is “a good idea.”

Given the North's intensifying provocations, 24-year-old Kim expressed support for the South developing its own nuclear missiles.

“Although I am not in favor of missiles, I believe we need our own means of defense,” said Kim. “We don’t possess nuclear weapons, but North Korea, as a nuclear-armed state, is making threats against the South, making me anxious.”

In a poll conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification from April 18 to May 16, nearly seven out of every ten South Koreans — 66 percent of the 1,001 respondents aged 18 and over — expressed support for the idea of South Korea possessing its own nuclear armaments.

“The North’s provocations do not help in resolving the relationships on the Korean Peninsula, and as a citizen living in Korea, this is regrettable” said the 23-year-old student Kim.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]