A survey finds that 72 percent of the South Korean public believes North Korea is to blame for the recent blocking of inter-Korean passage to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.

According to the survey of some one-thousand adults nationwide, 72-point-two percent of respondents said the North was responsible for the cross-border blockage. Fifteen-point-three percent, meanwhile, said the South Korean government is to blame, saying it triggered Pyongyang to make such a move by conducting joint military drills with the U.S.

Six percent of those surveyed said both Koreas should assume responsibility.

On the question of what the government should do if the North continues to block passage, more than 47 percent of respondents said Seoul should actively seek dialogue with the North to avoid conflict. Around 45 percent, on the other hand, said Seoul should consider shutting down the industrial park if Pyongyang fails to come up with ways to secure the safety of South Koreans in the complex.

Five percent, meanwhile, said the industrial park should remain as is, stressing that the matters of national security and economic cooperation are two separate issues.

The Unification Ministry commissioned Seoul-based pollster Media Research to conduct the survey. The two-day phone survey had a 95 percent reliability rating with a sampling error of plus or minus three-point-one percent.