Perception of the probability of Korean unification amongst South Korea’s elderly population

While Korean unification remains one of the most significant issues in inter-Korean and international affairs with significant implications in terms of territorial order and geopolitics, little is known about the perception of the likelihood of Korean unification, especially amongst the elderly population. Yet, the proportion of this population in South Korea has been rapidly rising, making it an increasingly important civic group. In this study, we analysed the data from the 2018 nationally representative Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging survey using ordered logistic regression modelling. The results show that geographical location, age, life satisfaction, health status and participation in social activities are the most important factors affecting the perception of possible Korean unification. We also find some gender differences in relation to the impact of education and wealth. Further interdisciplinary studies and spatial analyses might be useful to gain an in-depth understanding of people’s perceptions, as well as possible socioeconomic and cultural barriers to a potential pre-unifying process.