Public distrust in the reliability of the U.S. nuclear umbrella has sharply increased, with a majority of South Koreans now supporting the development of their own nuclear weapons, a recent survey shows.

The survey results released last month reflect a growing belief that the U.S. extended deterrence to the region, often referred to as a “nuclear umbrella,” is inadequate in addressing North Korea’s escalating nuclear threat.

Calls for self-nuclear armament

The poll, conducted between Aug. 26 to 28 among 1,006 adults jointly by the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, and the East Asia Institute (EAI), found that 47.4 percent of respondents disagreed with the notion that the U.S.-provided nuclear umbrella is sufficient to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat. In contrast, 41.2 percent of the respondents expressed trust in U.S. nuclear deterrence.

The results show a marked shift from a year earlier when 57.6 percent of respondents supported the South Korea-U.S. alliance’s strategy, including the Washington Declaration of April 2023, which aimed to enhance extended........

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