--- title: North Korea Concerns White Evangelicals, Catholics Most description: White evangelicals and Catholics are more concerned about North Korea’s nuclear intentions than the average American, according to new Pew Center data. canonical: https://time.com/5044878/evangelicals-catholics-north-korea-threat/ author: Elizabeth Dias article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-14T19:15:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T18:25:08.127Z article:section: Politics og:title: These Religious Groups Are Most Concerned About North Korea og:description: According to the Pew Research Center og:url: https://time.com/5044878/evangelicals-catholics-north-korea-threat/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e9d7621dcecdbbf/6988f37922fb85b262e23e3f/north-korea-lindsey-graham.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: North Korea Lindsey Graham og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Religious Groups Are Most Concerned About North Korea twitter:description: According to the Pew Research Center twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e9d7621dcecdbbf/6988f37922fb85b262e23e3f/north-korea-lindsey-graham.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # White Evangelicals and Catholics Are Most Concerned About North Korea by [Elizabeth Dias](https://time.com/author/elizabeth-dias/) ## Elizabeth Dias Dec 14, 2017 7:15 PM UTC  This photo taken on November 29, 2017 and released on November 30, 2017 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows launching of the Hwasong-15 missile which is capable of reaching all parts of the U.S. This photo taken on November 29, 2017 and released on November 30, 2017 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows launching of the Hwasong-15 missile which is capable of reaching all parts of the U.S.KCNA VIA KNS—AFP/Getty Images by [Elizabeth Dias](https://time.com/author/elizabeth-dias/) ## Elizabeth Dias Dec 14, 2017 7:15 PM UTC White evangelicals and Catholics are more concerned about North Korea’s nuclear intentions than the average American, according to data TIME obtained from the Pew Research Center. The Pew Research Center recently issued a [report](http://www.people-press.org/2017/11/03/increasing-public-concern-over-north-koreas-nuclear-capability-intentions/) finding that American concern over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and intentions has increased in the past four years. TIME asked Pew for a breakdown of the data by religious affiliation, which was not published in the public report. Pew found that 82% of white evangelicals and 80% of Catholics think the U.S. government should take North Korea’s threats to use nuclear missiles against the U.S. “very seriously,” compared to 71% of Americans overall, and 60% of religiously unaffiliated Americans. Pew also found that 73% of white evangelicals and Catholics think that North Korea’s leadership is “really willing” to follow through on its threats to use nuclear weapons against the U.S, compared to 65% of Americans overall and 58% of religiously unaffiliated Americans. Views are closest on the question of whether or not North Korea is capable of launching a nuclear missile that could reach the U.S. Pew found that 64% of Americans overall think North Korea is capable, compared to 67% of white evangelicals, 72% of Catholics, and 58% of religiously unaffiliated. There was not data to determine attitudes of other religious groups, or to compare change in religious perspective from previous years. 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