The vast majority of South Koreans said they believe North Korea will never denuclearize, a new survey from Seoul National University (SNU) suggests, with nearly half of respondents expressing support for an indigenous nuclear program.

SNU’s Institute for Peace and Unification Studies announced the preliminary results from their annual survey on South Koreans’ perceptions of North Korea last week, finding the “highest-ever” pessimism about the prospects for denuclearization.

“Public opinion that North Korea won’t give up its nuclear weapons hit 92.5% – the highest ever since we started surveying in 2007,” said Kim Bum-soo, one of the authors of the