Nearly 42% of South Korean people now have a good impression of Japan, a survey by South Korea's East Asia Institute showed Thursday.
The proportion of respondents with a favorable impression of Japan jumped 12.8 percentage points from the previous year to 41.7%, the highest level since the survey began in 2013, according to the private think tank.
The proportion of those with a negative impression of Japan dropped 10.6 points to a record low of 42.7%.
The survey was conducted online from Aug. 26 to 28 and received valid responses from 1,006 people age 18 and over.
Among the respondents who viewed Japan positively, 53.6% said that Japanese people are kind and honest, and 30% said that they are interested in Japanese food culture and shopping there. About 60% have visited Japan.
Meanwhile, many respondents expressed negative views about historical issues between the two Asian nations. About 60% were critical of the South Korean government's acceptance of UNESCO's World Heritage designation for Japan's Sado Island Gold Mines in Niigata Prefecture. About 40% did not support the government's solution to the wartime labor issue, which calls for a government-affiliated foundation to pay compensation on behalf of Japanese companies.
EAI President Yul Sohn said that Japan's image is improving among South Korean people, thanks to tourism, cultural and other exchanges, but they still have concerns about historical issues.
Yul said that the South Korean government needs to strike a certain balance on these issues, while cooperating with Japan in the economic and security fields.
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