Abstract
There have been many controversies in South Korea on how to deal with foreign governments. Indeed, position towards or preference for North Korea and the United States is one of the most controversial issues. Three factors seem to affect who in South Korea trusts or distrusts North Korea and who trusts or distrusts the United States.
First are two socio-economic variables, age and region. The tendency to distrust the US government is more frequently found in the younger generations than among the elders. Similarly, the tendency to distrust the North Korean government is observed more easily in the older generation than in the younger. Also, Honam residents are more likely to trust Pyongyang than those in other regions, who tend more to distrust the North Korean government. Honam residents are more likely to distrust Washington than are residents of any other region.
Second, attitudes toward foreign governments relate with the attitudes on the North Korea-US spectrum. A tendency to distrust the Japanese and Taiwanese governments seems to correlate with favoring the North Korean government over the United States.
Finally, certain political activities are closely related to the Pyongyang-Washington spectrum. Those who trust the North Korean government but not the US are likely to read a progressive newspaper or support NGO leaders.