More than half of Koreans are opposed to the United States' plan to build a new missile shield, called the National Missile Defense (NMD), according to a survey released yesterday.

The poll, commissioned by Rep. Kim Hee-sun of the Millennium Democratic Party, also showed that a majority of Koreans no longer regard the United States as an "alliance formed in blood," instead call it "just an ally" with which South Korea has closer relations than other countries, a reflection of growing public dissatisfaction with Washington.

The survey was released one day after about 2,000 students and activists in a rally in Seoul demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Korea and urged the Bush administration to abandon the NMD initiative.

The survey, conducted by a major polling organization, questioned 1,004 people March 30-31 on outstanding diplomatic issues, including U.S. policy toward North Korea, NMD, Seoul-Pyongyang relations and recent disputes over Japanese history textbook.

The survey found 56.7 percent of respondents opposed U.S. President George Bush's plan to promote NMD. About 32 percent supported it. On the rationale behind the NMD policy, 41 percent reasoned that the U.S. government aims to enhance the U.S. military influence and 20.9 percent said it is geared toward revitalizing the U.S. defense industry. Only 15.1 percent said Washington intends to preserve peace and 13.2 percent cited keeping China and Russia in check as a main reason for the NMD policy.

More than half of those surveyed backed the Korean government's "strategic ambiguity" stance stipulating that Seoul neither support nor object the NMD plan publicly. The research showed 56.5 percent said the South Korean government has to refrain from formalizing its stance. The remainder wants Seoul to make its position clear, of which 13.3 percent are supportive of Seoul's endorsement the Bush policy and 17.9 percent are for Seoul's opposition.

Asked about the U.S. hard line toward Pyongyang, 55.6 percent envisaged that it would affect negatively the Korean Peninsula, while only 17.5 percent supported it.

As for their perception of the U.S.-Korea relationship, 56.2 percent of the responses characterized the U.S. as a "closer ally" and 36.2 percent thought of it as just "one of many nations" in diplomatic ties with Korea. The proportion of those sticking to the "blood ally," the word traditionally used to describe their bilateral relationship since the Korean War, were a mere 3.5 percent.

The survey also found that only 19.3 percent believe the diplomatic relations between Korea and the U.S. are on an equal footing, while a whopping 79 percent think otherwise.

President Kim Dae-jung's engagement policy toward the North earned 53.1 percent of endorsement by the polled while 39.6 percent are supporters of the opposition Grand National Party's policy emphasizing reciprocity.

The research also showed that a majority of Koreans back tougher government measures against Japan over issues such as Tokyo's recent authorization of controversial textbooks and sovereignty claims to Tokto islet, with 59.3 percent arguing that the government send a special envoy for protest to Japan and 28.3 percent even calling on the government to sever diplomatic ties with Tokyo.

Rep. Kim commissioned Media Research, a domestic research firm, to conduct the survey as part of her preparations for questioning about the government's unification, diplomacy, and security policies during a National Assembly session.

The survey was unveiled a day after some 2,000 activists and citizens staged a massive protest in downtown Seoul against the Bush administration's defense plans and North Korea policy.

A collation of student and social activist groups gathered in Chongmyo Park, central Seoul, in an afternoon rally, denouncing U.S. plans for NMD and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) for raising military tensions and hampering rapprochement in the Korean Peninsula.

In a statement, they claimed that the Bush government is sending the U.S.- North Korea relations back toward antagonism, wiping out the achievements so far by the Korean government to build peace.

The demonstration was led by eight militant groups including the outlawed South Korean Federation of University Student Councils, or Hanchongryon, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification of Korea.

Police detained 70 Hanchongryon members who held a sit-in in front of the U.S. embassy chanting, "Go home, U.S. troops." The law bans mass demonstrations within 100 meters of foreign embassy buildings. Riot police swooped on the demonstrators who occupied roads before the U.S. mission but no injuries were reported.

The protestors burned U.S. flags and effigies of interceptor missiles symbolizing their opposition to the missile shield system. And then they marched 2 km to Myongdong Cathedral peacefully waving small balloons.

About 30 civic groups including the organizers of Saturday's rally are set to team up to form a joint committee to protest the U.S. missile defense plans and help speed peace process in the Peninsula. A press conference to mark the launch is scheduled for tomorrow, during which they will adopt a letter of protest against Bush's hawkish tone to be delivered to the U.S. embassy.