The Political Assassination of Kim Jong Nam: A Comparative Analysis of US and South Korean News Coverage

Abstract

North Korea is one of the most secretive and closed countries in the world that is still under communist rule. This paper presents a comparative content analysis of the overall framing in the online news coverage of the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, from The New York Times and Chosun Ilbo (N = 154). Results showed that while U.S. and South Korean newspapers displayed considerable similarities among the use of texts, visuals, sources, and news frames, differences existed in the use of hyperlinks and news tones. This study not only adds to the body of work in framing theory by examining the coverage of Kim Jong Nam’s sudden death from the lens of two different news media, but also contributes to international communication by exploring how international newspapers covered the same event related to North Korean political figures. The implications are discussed.