Andrew Salmon

Seoul, South Korea-based Andrew Salmon, Asia Editor at The Washington Times. brings two decades of journalistic experience to the position. Before joining The Washington Times, he was Northeast Asia Editor of Hong Kong-based Asia Times. Andrew’s reporting previously appeared in The Daily Telegraph, Forbes, The International Herald Tribune, The South China Morning Post, The Times and The Washington Times. He has made television appearances on Arirang TV, CNN and France24. He can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Andrew Salmon

A portrait of American soldier Travis King is displayed as his grandfather, Carl Gates, talks about his grandson Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Kenosha, Wis. Pvt. King bolted into North Korea while on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone on Tuesday, July 18, a day after he was supposed to travel to a base in the U.S. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

GIs who defected to North Korea offer dicey precedent for latest U.S. defector

History is not exactly reassuring for Travis King, the American GI who bolted across the heavily guarded border into North Korea Tuesday. Published July 19, 2023

A general view shows the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea on July 19, 2022. An American has crossed the heavily fortified border from South Korea into North Korea, the American—led U.N. Command overseeing the area said Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP, File)

U.S. soldier who crossed border into North Korea was reportedly facing discipline action in America

An American soldier reportedly facing disciplinary action on Tuesday fled into North Korea and is now in the custody of the Pyongyang regime, U.S. military officials said Tuesday. Published July 18, 2023

Left to right, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with Partner Nations at a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Paul Ellis/Pool Photo via AP)

China and Russia feel blowback as NATO embraces Asia-Pacific allies

Watching Asia-Pacific leaders mingle with their European counterparts at the annual NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, U.S. strategists might well have lit up celebratory cigars. Published July 13, 2023

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters Wednesday, its neighbors said, two days after the North threatened "shocking" consequences to protest what it called a provocative U.S. reconnaissance activity near its territory. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

North Korea’s new missile tests exposes Kim’s limited options

North Korea test-fired a long-range ballistic missile on Wednesday, its first since the launch of a reconnaissance satellite that failed to reach orbit and splashed into the Yellow Sea on May 31. Published July 12, 2023

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks during a news conference at the Japan National Press Club Friday, July 7, 2023, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

China fumes as Japan gets big backing for Fukushima nuke wastewater plan

The opposition ranges from the Chinese government to South Korean Buddhism, but Japan cleared a major hurdle to its planned release of wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant this week after South Korea dropped its long-held opposition to the plan. Published July 7, 2023

Robert Fouser, a Rhode Island author and academic who also lives in Japan and South Korea, is spearheading an effort to preserve the Asian architectural heritage of traditional homes, called "hanok," in Seoul. (Photo by Andrew Salmon / The Washington Times)

Seoul gains wealth, loses architectural heritage; preservationists fight for traditional homes

South Korea boasts thousands of years of history, but save for a few signature, heavily restored sites like medieval palaces, tourists in Seoul have to dig deep to discover the capital's architectural heritage. Published June 25, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden, left, talks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday Nov. 15, 2022. (Bay Ismoyo/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. sees opportunity as Beijing’s bluster drives neighbors into new alliances

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared themselves satisfied Monday after two days of fence-mending talks in Beijing, but other conversations in China's neighborhood are giving Mr. Xi greater cause for concern. Published June 19, 2023

A TV screen shows a report of North Korea's missile launch with file image during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 15, 2023. North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile off its east coast on Thursday, hours after South Korean and U.S. troops ended a fifth round of large-scale live-fire drills near the Koreas' heavily fortified border. The letters read " North Korea, launched ballistic missile to east coast." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

North Korea test-fires missiles amid major U.S., South Korea live-fire exercises

North Korea test-fired a pair of ballistic missiles Thursday -- just after the U.S. and South Korean militaries conducted massive live-fire drills that were personally witnessed by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Published June 15, 2023

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming, right, shakes hands with South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung before their dinner meeting at the Chinese ambassador's residence in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 8, 2023. China's Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong expressed dissatisfaction with Seoul's response to last week's meeting between Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming and a South Korean opposition leader, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry on Sunday, June 11, 2023. (Yonhap via AP, File)

South Korea faces China down in diplomatic escalation

Following undiplomatic remarks delivered by China's ambassador to Korea, both sides are escalating -- and Washington is backing its ally in Seoul. Published June 13, 2023

Song Seung-moon stands in front of a memorial to the victims of the carnage of 1948-49: a statue of islanders, their hands bound, being led away to their deaths. (Andrew Salmon/The Washington Times)

On South Korean island paradise, residents ponder U.S. role in long-ago tragedy

His grandfather fled, his father was executed, his mother was tortured, his village was burned -- and for decades, his memories were suppressed. Now, Song Seung-moon wants answers. Published June 12, 2023

Seoul raps Chinese ‘wolf warrior’ over aggressive rhetoric

Seoul has given China's ambassador to South Korea a dressing down, following remarks he made during a meeting with the leader of the opposition. Published June 10, 2023

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement on Saturday that the Chinese destroyer “executed maneuvers in an unsafe manner in the vicinity of Chung-Hoon,” a U.S. destroyer. The incident was filmed and posted online. (U.S. Navy)

Chinese destroyer tests U.S. nerves in Taiwan Strait with intimidation tactics

In an apparent intimidation tactic, a Chinese destroyer twice crossed the bow of a U.S. Navy destroyer at high speed as the latter transited the Taiwan Strait, provoking an angry response. Published June 4, 2023

Flags of South Korea and the United States flutter outside of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, South Korea, on April 25, 2023. The South Korean and U.S. militaries were set to begin massive live-fire drills near the border with North Korea on Thursday, May 25, 2023, despite the North’s warning that it won’t tolerate what it calls such a hostile invasion rehearsal on its doorstep. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

Turning 70, South Korea-U.S. alliance expands scope, defies frictions

The South Korea-U.S. alliance, which marks its 70th anniversary on July 27, has delivered significant dividends for both parties, but is also facing frictions on the strategic and economic fronts. Published June 1, 2023

A public TV screen broadcasts news of North Korea's launch of its first spy satellite, on a street in Tokyo Wednesday, May 31, 2023. North Korea’s attempt to put the country’s first spy satellite into space failed Wednesday in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

South Korea, Japan hit panic buttons even as North Korean launch fizzles

Residents of South Korea's capital city received a pre-breakfast jolt Wednesday morning as emergency messages warned them to prepare to evacuate the city. In southern Japan, Okinawans were advised to take cover as North Korea sought to place a suspected reconnaissance satellite into orbit. Published May 31, 2023

This undated photo released by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Monday, May 29, 2023, show a China-registered bulk carrier ship detained by MMEA for anchoring illegally in the waters of east Johor. Malaysia's maritime agency said Monday it found a cannon shell believed to be from World War II on a Chinese-registered vessel and was investigating if the barge carrier was involved in the looting of two British warship wrecks in the South China Sea. (Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency via AP)

Malaysia seizes Chinese ship suspected of plundering sunken WWII battleships

Malaysia has detained a Chinese vessel believed to have been salvaging the hulks of two British warships sunk in the South China Sea during the opening stage of World War II in the Pacific. Published May 30, 2023

In this undated photo provided by the North Korean government on March 11, 2022, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Tongchang-ri, North Korea. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, North Korea confirmed plans to launch its first military spy satellite in June and described such capacities as crucial for monitoring the United States’ “reckless” military exercises with rival South Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) **FILE**

North Korea’s Kim channels inner Trump, constructs hundreds of miles of wall on China border

Was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un so inspired by his meetings with President Trump in 2018 and 2019 that he adopted one of the former president's flagship policies? Published May 29, 2023

In this photo released by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the Nuri rocket lifts off from a launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea, Thursday, May 25, 2023. South Korea launched the commercial-grade satellite Thursday for the first time as part of its growing space development program, as rival North Korea is pushing to place its first military spy satellite into orbit. (Korea Aerospace Research Institute via AP)

South Korea blasts 8 satellites into orbit, shows capabilities for space

South Korea's homegrown "Nuri" space rocket successfully launched eight satellites into orbit on Thursday in a development the country's President Yoon Suk-yeol hailed as "a splendid feat" proving his nation's status among other countries with advanced space capabilities. Published May 25, 2023

Players from Team Thailand hone their skills before play commences. (Photo by Andrew Salmon/The Washington Times)

Civil use of drones faces major challenges; Military machines have potential for peaceful uses

Lights flickered, young people tinkered with ball-shaped drones, and players toting remote-control devices practiced their maneuvers on the edge of netted enclosures: The tension was palpable on the sidelines of the international "drone soccer" championships in Songdo, South Korea. Published May 24, 2023

President Joe Biden, center, sits with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second left, during a bilateral meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, opposite, in Hiroshima, Japan, Thursday, May 18, 2023, ahead of the start of the G7 Summit. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Joining the club? Possible South Korean entry to G7 raises questions

The G7 -- the U.S., Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan -- is widely considered one of the world's more exclusive political clubs, and the possibility of South Korea getting a seat at the table is prompting urgent but hushed debate in Seoul coffee shops -- and beyond. Published May 18, 2023

People pass by a TV screen showing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 7, 2023. The leaders of South Korea and Japan met Sunday for their second summit in less than two months, as they push to mend long-running historical grievances and boost ties in the face of North Korea's nuclear program and other regional challenges. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

G-7 summit spotlights Japan’s growing role as strategic link for East Asia security

As it prepares to host a high-stakes G-7 summit next week, Japan's expanding role as a strategic hub -- both across East Asia and in the growing links between the Atlantic and Pacific -- is coming into ever sharper focus. Published May 12, 2023

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