Seven out of ten South Koreans see the need for the country to unilaterally develop nuclear weapons.

According to a survey of one-thousand people conducted by Gallup Korea released on Monday, 76-point-six percent of the respondents agreed on the need for unilateral nuclear development. The poll, carried out between November 28 and December 16 last year was commissioned by the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies.

Sixty-one-point-six percent said they lacked understanding of the country's response strategy against North Korea's nuclear threats.

Seventy-seven-point-six percent believed that the North's denuclearization would be impossible. Seventy-eight-point-six percent said Pyongyang will likely push ahead with its seventh nuclear test.

When asked if they believe Washington would use nuclear deterrence should a war break out on the Korean Peninsula, 51-point-three percent replied "yes," in comparison to 48-point-seven percent that said "no."

71-point-nine percent positively assessed the possibility of Seoul's trilateral security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, while 28-point-one percent gave a negative response.