(iPoster) Why Some Crises Polarize and Others Don’t: Evidence from South Korean Disasters

• In Event: Poster Sessions: Public Opinion 1 & Diverse Perspectives on South Asian Politics
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Abstract

While national disasters often elicit unity, some deepen partisan conflict. This article examines the conditional politicization of crises by comparing two major transportation disasters in South Korea: the 2014 Sewol Ferry sinking and the 2024 Muan Airport crash. We argue that political polarization is not inherent to crisis severity but depends on elite cues and media amplification. Using a mixed-methods design—combining newspaper content analysis and survey data—we show that elite conflict and partisan media framing drove polarization following the Sewol disaster, while the Muan crash remained depoliticized due to elite distraction during a concurrent constitutional crisis. Our findings advance theories of elite cueing, agenda-setting, and media effects by demonstrating the contingent nature of crisis politicization. The analysis offers broader insights into how institutional timing and political incentives shape public responses to national trauma.

Author

• Hoeun Lee, Boston University