This research examines the public reaction on social media, specifically through Naver blog postings, to the Interpark personal information leak incident from July 25 to August 31, 2016. Over the 37-day period, blog postings were collected and analyzed using topic modeling and clustering techniques to identify and track the evolution of key topics. The analysis revealed that the number of postings peaked the day after the incident was reported, with a gradual decline in the number of postings over time.
The main topics identified through topic modeling included hacking, personal information leaks, legal actions related to the incident, and suspicions of North Korean involvement, among others. These topics reflected the public's interest and response to various aspects of the incident, with noticeable shifts in the prominence and content of these topics as the incident unfolded. Notably, topics related to the hacking and leakage of personal information received the most attention initially, with other topics gaining traction as the situation developed.
Sentiment analysis of the collected documents showed an overwhelming predominance of negative sentiment, with only a small fraction of documents expressing a positive outlook. This indicates the significantly adverse impact of the personal information leak on the public. While negative sentiment was more pronounced in the immediate aftermath of the incident, there was a slight attenuation in the intensity of negative sentiment over time.
The findings from this research provide a nuanced understanding of how the Interpark personal information leak was reflected on social media and how public interest and sentiment evolved over time. Such analysis offers valuable insights into public perception and response to cybersecurity incidents, which can be beneficial in developing response strategies for similar events in the future.