March 14, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in the United States believe a new deal reached with North Korea to stop their nuclear arms program will not result in compliance, according to a poll by Hart/Newhouse released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. 62 per cent of respondents think the agreement will not make a real difference.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in the United States believe a new deal reached with North Korea to stop their nuclear arms program will not result in compliance, according to a poll by Hart/Newhouse released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. 62 per cent of respondents think the agreement will not make a real difference.

Kim Jong-il has been the de-facto leader of North Korea since the death of his father, Kim Il Song, in 1994. North Korea was branded as part of an "axis of evil" by U.S. president George W. Bush in January 2002. In February 2005, the government of North Korea admitted publicly for the first time that it possesses nuclear weapons.

In July 2006, North Korea launched seven missiles—including the Taepodong-2—which landed in the Sea of Japan close to Russian coastal areas. On Oct. 9, the country announced it had successfully carried out a test detonation of a nuclear weapon.

In February, North Korea reached an agreement with the U.S. under the framework of the six-party talks that will result in North Korea suspending its nuclear weapons program within 60 days. In exchange, the country will receive one million tonnes of fuel oil, economic assistance, and humanitarian aid. The deal would also normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On Mar. 12, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Mohammed El-Baradei discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "I should caution that this is a very complex process. It is going to be a very incremental process. There's a lot of confidence that needs to be built."

Polling Data

As you may know, the United States recently reached a deal with North Korea that would normalize relations between the two countries and includes food and fuel aid for North Korea. In return, North Korea would suspend its nuclear weapon program. Do you think that this agreement will make a real difference or will not make a real difference in ending North Korea's nuclear weapon program?

Real difference	30%
No real difference	62%
Not sure	8%

Source: Hart/Newhouse / The Wall Street Journal / NBC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,007 American adults, conducted from Mar. 2 to Mar. 5, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.