North Korea holds little sway in South Korea's election

(CNN) -- Security issues concerning North Korea have not become a major issue for South Korean voters, even after the controversial rocket launch that drew international condemnation last week.

The most pressing issues for South Koreans at the polls on Wednesday, are similar to the ones that dominated U.S. voterswhen they cast their ballots in November -- the economy.

Polls showed that North-South relations ranked fifth in the most salient issues to the Korean public, falling far behind job creation, economic issues and education. Less than 10% prioritized relations with Pyongyang, according to polls by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

"Threat perception overall toward North Korea has somewhat waned," said Jong Kun Choi, an associate professor of political sciences and international studies at Yonsei University in Seoul.

After the announcement of North Korea's missile launch, about half of the respondents in a poll said they expected the rocket to have no effect in the election. "The best reading of the data suggests that the launch will not have a strong impact on the election," according to the Asan Institute's report.