On March 1st, which is celebrated as Independence Day in South Korea, the bi-monthly magazine 'Sasanggye' released results from a survey it commissioned with the polling firm Mbrain Research. This survey, conducted among 1,000 adult men and women across the nation, sought to measure the level of independence felt by South Koreans. The findings indicated that when assessing various fields such as politics, economy, diplomacy, security, and culture, South Korea's overall independence score was 60.9 out of 100. This score suggests a transition from a state of dependence to a relatively self-reliant status, as it exceeds the threshold for the transitional phase (41-60 points).

Cultural independence was identified as the most robust area, with 52.1% of respondents perceiving South Korean culture as independent, compared to only 12.7% who viewed it as dependent. In contrast, the field of diplomacy was rated as having the lowest level of independence, with just 22.4% of respondents believing it to be self-sufficient, significantly lower than the 34.6% who viewed it as dependent. Additionally, significant differences in perceptions of independence were noted across various age groups, highlighting that younger individuals tend to rate their independence lower compared to older generations.

The survey also explored reasons behind lower independence ratings among respondents who scored overall independence below 60. The predominant reasons cited included the necessity of navigating between major powers like the United States and China (66.2%), the political scene's focus on party struggles over national interests (42.3%), and security concerns stemming from the division between North and South Korea (6%). To achieve complete autonomy, respondents emphasized the need for political unity over national interests (54.6%), securing economic sovereignty (48.3%), and establishing balanced diplomacy along with obtaining operational control during wartime (31.7%).