About a third of South Korean academics, experts and other elites support nuclearization of their country, a US think tank poll showed, a finding that contrasts with greater support shown in surveys of the general public.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report on the outcome of the poll conducted with over 1,000 “strategic elites” in South Korea from Jan. 15 to March 17. The report, titled “Breaking Bad, South Korea’s Nuclear Option,” was authored by Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the CSIS.

It found that only 34 percent of the elites said yes to the question of whether South Korea should have nuclear arms, while 53 percent said no and 13 percent were “not sure.”

The chosen demographic of the elites, including legislators, businesspersons and current and former officials, is understood to better reflect both the state of national discussion and the views influential in decision-making on issues of national security, the report said. (Yonhap)