The United States has emerged as the target of animosity on the part of South Korean activists since the inauguration of President George W Bush, a survey showed today.
Mr Bush was blamed for heightening tensions on the Korean peninsula at an anti-US rally yesterday by 2,000 members of South Korean non-governmental organizations.
The protestors urged the United States to stop citing North Korea as a reason for developing its national missile defense (NMD) system.
The protest was the biggest anti-US rally since Mr Bush took office in January and underlined growing anti-American sentiment in South Korea, the traditional ally of Washington since the 1950-53 Korean War.
A survey, released today, found his policy was unpopular in South Korea, with 57 per cent opposed to his move to press ahead with the NMD plan. Only 32 percent supported the NMD.
The engagement policy of South Korean leader Mr Kim Dae-Jung toward North Korea received support from 53 per cent, while 79 per cent regarded diplomatic relations between Seoul and Washington as unequal.
AFP