Nearly 80 percent of South Koreans expressed antipathy toward North Korea in an annual KBS survey on how they view reunification.

The survey, released on Sunday ahead of Liberation Day, showed that 78-point-one percent of respondents had a negative view of the North Korean regime.

Only two-point-seven percent had a positive view.

On the need for reunification, 51-point-seven percent supported reunifying with the North if there is no huge burden while 16-point-six percent said the two sides must be reunified at all costs.

Eighteen-point-four percent chose coexistence for a "considerable period" while 13-point-four percent rejected reunification.

The survey of one-thousand-653 adults, conducted by KBS Public Media Institute for a period of six days from July 27, has a 95 percent confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus two-point-four percentage points.