A recent poll shows eight out of ten South Koreans are willing to contribute to raising North Korean support funds.

The survey results come amid proposals to control the pace of inter-Korean economic cooperation following the North's announcement that it possesses nuclear weapons and that it plans to boycott the six-party talks.

In the poll, conducted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute on 670 men and women over 20 years of age residing in Seoul, 83.5 percent of the respondents said they would be willing to contribute to raising North Korean support funds.

The respondents said they would be willing to pay around 17 thousand won annually for food aid.

The institute said South Korea has been sending an average 160 billion won annually to North Korea since 1995. The recent poll shows, however, that considering the public's willingness to make donations, Seoul would be able to send up to 400 billion won annually to the North.