A growing number of South Koreans believe that if South and North Korea could peacefully coexist, unification may not be necessary.

Lee Sang-sin, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification on Thursday unveiled results of a survey on South Koreans' views regarding unification.

The findings show that in 2016, 43 percent of respondents agreed with the view that reunification is unnecessary if the two Koreas could coexist peacefully without a war.

The percentage has steadily increased to over 49 percent this year, while those who believe unification is a must has decreased from 37 percent to below 29.

The institute conducts the annual survey by polling thousand adults.