Yes, white can force a draw and its very frustrating!! But it can be done.

I haven't really looked at percentages, but personally I DO find it easier to play as black. But some people swear white has the advantage.

If whites pieces are surrounded then black would have to move one piece to allow white to make the final move, then black could move in and take the final piece. Many player as white keep a 'stray' piece along the side. As black closes in on the king, white positions itself around the king so black cannot take the final piece for a win.
So begins a 'cat and mouse' with the stray piece. Once this is captured white is forced to move a piece covering the king, and black wins.
Its really just a way for white to draw out the game, and maybe some vague hope that black will make a mistake and move a piece to capture the stray that will enable their king to escape.