The Lens on North Korea: Source Reliance by South Korean and U.S. News of Kim Jong-Un

This study examines the selection of news sources by South Korean and U.S. newspapers when covering issues related to North Korea s leader Kim Jong-Un from 2012 to 2018. The results indicate that South Korean and U.S. newspapers selected their news sources differently. South Korean newspapers relied heavily on the North Korean news media while U.S. newspapers relied more on official U.S. sources, such as the U.S. government and government-affiliated organizations. Furthermore, South Korean newspapers were more likely to include anonymous or no sources when covering Kim Jong-Un than their U.S. counterparts. In South Korea, conservative newspapers relied on negative sources more frequently than progressive ones when covering issues involving Kim Jong-Un.