It is inherently more secured in the same context. The JVM applet sandbox has to stand up to random code off the internet, whereas native code is almost only installed explicitly.
Remember ActiveX and how it was worse than Java applets?
It seems to me that the only reason we put up with JVM applets (whereas anyone suggesting we put up with people ActiveX would rightfully be laughed down these days) is because of that steady monotonous stream of crap about how much better Java is for security. It has dropped our collective paranoia far too low.
South Korea's situation is pretty unique/extreme in that way, though. At least I'm unaware of any other places that suffer a similar lock-in spiral. Except corporations, maybe.
Java is or was until very recently as anyone who has used it since 1995 will know and remember. Recent issue have arisen, hopefully Oracle is going to get its track record up to what Sun's was. Until then, a few bad recent reports for Java 7 will not wipe out decades of countless security reports for all of Windows Operating System and many relied upon Windows applications.
Java applets are still far more efficient and far more powerful and have far greater operability with Java web server software than even HTML5 will have.
Are you saying history in general is not pertinent to analysis? Is your rule only true for security issues or you do you feel that way about everything?
Remember ActiveX and how it was worse than Java applets?