"With Samsung and SK Hynix, How Could We Lose?"... Half of Koreans Say "South Korea Will Surpass Japan in 10 Years"

The Majority (36.5%) Say South Korea and Japan Have Similar Economic Strength
Semiconductors, Content, and Shipbuilding Seen as Areas of Strong Competitiveness

One out of three South Koreans currently believes that South Korea's economic power surpasses that of Japan. In particular, more than half of South Koreans expect that the nation's economic strength will outpace Japan's within the next 10 years.

Recently, NowSurvey, an online survey platform operated by ElimNet, released the results of a poll titled "How Do South Koreans View Japan?" The survey targeted 1,007 panelists nationwide aged 20 years or older, in commemoration of the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation.

Seoul cityscape. Seoul Tourism Foundation

36.5% of Respondents: "Economic Power of South Korea and Japan Is Similar"

When asked about the current national economic competitiveness, the largest share—36.5%—answered “South Korea and Japan are similar.” Those who thought “South Korea is ahead” made up 33.5%, while 30.0% answered “Japan is ahead.” The difference between the latter two responses was only 3.5 percentage points.

When it comes to the general standard of living, respondents were more likely to think South Korea is ahead of Japan. Those who said “South Korea is higher” accounted for 37.2%, 13.9 percentage points more than those who chose “Japan is higher” (23.3%).

Confidence in South Korea’s economy was even more pronounced in the outlook for the next decade. When asked about the economic standings of South Korea and Japan in 10 years, 51.9% of respondents answered “South Korea will surpass Japan.” Just 14.0% said “Japan will be ahead,” making the share forecasting South Korean dominance approximately 3.7 times higher.

Evaluations of competitiveness by industry also favored South Korea. Based on a five-point scale rating 13 industries, semiconductors received the highest score at 4.25, followed by cultural content (4.07) and shipbuilding·marine (4.01). Artificial intelligence·software (3.73), secondary batteries (3.72), electronics·home appliances (3.71), defense industry (3.59), bio·healthcare (3.26), and automobile·mobility (3.24) were also seen as fields where South Korea has the upper hand. In total, nine out of 13 industries were perceived to have greater competitiveness in South Korea than Japan.

On the other hand, in basic science·fundamental technology, Japan was rated superior, with a score of 2.69—the only industry among those surveyed where Japan was viewed as more competitive.

The factor most commonly cited as the greatest threat to South Korea's economy over the next decade was low birthrate and population aging, chosen by 42.9% of respondents. This was followed by political and social conflicts (26.9%), rising prices and household burdens (26.8%), changing international dynamics such as U.S.–China tensions (24.7%), industry structure changes due to AI (24.0%), and a shortage of job opportunities for young people (20.8%).

Seouldal. Seoul Tourism Foundation

Japan Is a “Competitor”—But 70% of Respondents Say "Economic Cooperation Should Be Expanded"

While Japan was recognized as a major competitor, most respondents also agreed on the need for expanding economic cooperation. In total, 70.0% said economic cooperation between South Korea and Japan is necessary for South Korea’s continued growth. Only 4.2% were opposed.

When asked about the greatest achievement of the Republic of Korea since liberation, the largest number, 49.4%, chose economic growth. The globalization of K-content ranked second at 31.0%, ahead of industrialization and export growth (29.7%) and the development of democracy (27.0%).

There were differences in perceptions of Japan’s economic capacity across generations. Among those in their sixties and older, 40.9% said “Japan is ahead” in economic power, compared to 26.8% who said “South Korea is ahead.” The only generation in which more respondents saw Japan as stronger was the 60-and-over group.

NowSurvey commented, “The meaning of Liberation Day, current assessments of economic power, and evaluations of industrial competitiveness all reveal generational differences in attitudes toward Japan. While it cannot be concluded definitively, these results show the need for communication and policy planning that takes into account the different perspectives of each generation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.