More than seven out of 10 residents living in Seoul believe that the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should be unified, according to a recent poll run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. 

According to the survey conducted in late November, 74.2 percent out of the 2,000 respondents said unification is necessary. The survey results are similar to the results from last year.

Yet that does not mean that people have high hopes for Pyongyang's full denuclearization. Some 70 percent said the possibility remains low in the future.

When asked about the prospects for inter-Korean relations in the next five years, some 39.5 percent reacted positively with another 12.4 percent opposite views. The majority believed that relations will remain unchanged.

Inter-Korean relations have chilled after Pyongyang and Washington both refused to make the first move of concessions after their second summit in Vietnamese capital Hanoi. U.S. President Donald Trump wanted a deal that shows Pyongyang's full commitment to denuclearization to be inked before lifting sanctions on the Asian country, while Kim has said that sanctions must be lifted before denuclearization could take place.

China hopes the two sides can "meet each other halfway" to break the stalemate; that is, both sides work towards each other's wish together. It also hopes for more dialogue on the Korean Peninsula issue.