Trend Analysis of News Coverage on the Sewol Ferry Disaster (2014–2023) Based on Topic Modeling

This study examines ten-year trends (2014–2023) in media coverage of the Sewol Ferry disaster to reassess the role and responsibility of the media in disaster reporting. A total of 89,592 news articles collected from the Naver portal were analysed using topic modelling. The results indicate that early coverage predominantly focused on factual reporting, including rescue operations, victim commemoration, and legal and legislative debates over responsibility. During the middle period, media attention expanded to artistic forms of commemoration and civic group activities demanding truth-finding, alongside the emergence of various controversies. In the later period, coverage of the Sewol Ferry disaster increasingly intersected with other major social issues, such as the May 18 Democratic Movement and the humidifier disinfectant case, highlighting growing themes of solidarity and collective memory. Overall, these findings suggest that disaster reporting has evolved from political blame-centred framing toward narratives that emphasise victims, civic solidarity, and social healing, underscoring the importance of a more reflective approach to the role and responsibility of the media.