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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

In Seoul, a voice for a new approach to the North Korea problem

The flashpoint Korean Peninsula faces a slew of challenges with the nuclear-use threshold lowered, a regional arms race underway, diplomacy dead and communications channels silent.

April 23, 2023

South Korea fires toward North Korean vessel in Yellow Sea amid rising tensions

A South Korean patrol boat fired warning shots at a North Korean military vessel in the Yellow Sea last week, military officials here revealed Sunday, in the latest sign of growing tensions on the divided peninsula.

April 16, 2023

Jitters in Japan as latest North Korean missile takes flight

It's a sign of the times for the region: Alarms sounded in Japan on Thursday and residents were urged to take shelter amid fears that a North Korean missile was bearing down on the country's northern island of Hokkaido.

April 13, 2023

South Korean president buffeted by attacks over U.S. intel leaks

Intelligence leaks from Washington have generated global headlines, but nowhere have the fallout and embarrassment been more explosive than here, with the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol forced on the defensive and even the firebrand opposition leader expressing some sympathy for Mr. Yoon's dilemma.

April 11, 2023

Indicting ex-presidents: It’s par for the course in South Korea

While pro- and anti-Trumpers pondered the implications of a precedent shattered, the brouhaha compelled a Korean-American academic to pose this question on social media: Has the student - South Korea -- overtaken the master - the U.S. - in the practice of democracy?

April 10, 2023

Taiwan raises doubts about own defense; U.S. at center of collision course

America's mission to defend Taiwan is shaping up to be a lonely one.

April 4, 2023

Asia game-plans for China-Taiwan shooting war as U.S. troops increasingly isolated

If and when Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, now visiting Guatemala, defies Chinese warnings and meets with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, defense will almost certainly be on the agenda.

April 3, 2023

Japan restricts chip equipment exports; move likely to boost U.S. tech campaign against China

The government of Japan, a key node in the global semiconductor supply chain, on Friday announced that it will restrict exports of top-tier computer chipmaking equipment to prevent the technologies from being used for military purposes.

March 31, 2023

Clash over a 69-hour workweek reveals generational divide in South Korea

South Korea's famous/notorious work culture is currently in the spotlight, after the conservative government of President Yoon Suk Yeol on March 6 proposed expanding the allowable maximum working week from 52 hours (40 hours plus 12 hours over overtime) to 69 hours, or an average of slightly over 9.85 hours a day, seven days a week.

March 30, 2023

Russia test-fires missiles in East Asia, despite draining Ukraine fight

Russia Tuesday test-fired two anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan, days after Japan's prime minister visited Ukraine and the same day that a U.S. aircraft carrier docked in South Korea as part of joint training drills.

March 28, 2023

North Korea’s released photos point to its progress on ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons

North Korea released photos of what appear to be its first, lower-yield "tactical" nuclear warheads for the first time on Tuesday, sparking concern in Washington and Seoul about Pyongyang's widening weapons arsenal and the rising likelihood they may be used in a future conflict on the divided peninsula.

March 28, 2023

North Korea claims test of Russia-style unmanned underwater nuke

With the largest South Korea-U.S. spring war drills in six years in full swing, North Korea on Friday announced it had successfully tested a new weapons class, a nuclear underwater uncrewed vehicle, or UUV, designed to take down targets with a radioactive tidal wave.

March 24, 2023

Dueling summits as Kishida makes surprise Kyiv trip in midst of Xi-Putin talks

Japanese prime ministers are not known for stealing the spotlight, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday managed to upstage Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his high-profile summit in Russia, making a surprise visit to Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top Ukrainian officials.

March 21, 2023

North Korea rehearses ‘nuclear counterattack’ scenario with latest missile test

Furious over U.S.-South Korean war games it insists are a rehearsal for an invasion, North Korea tested another short-range ballistic missile on Monday which it says is part of a broader push to revamp and sharpen its own warfighting doctrines.

March 20, 2023

Japanese, Korean leaders move to mend frayed ties at Tokyo summit

The leaders of South Korea and Japan took steps Thursday to boost frayed diplomatic and economic relations, but their high-profile Tokyo summit was held under a pair of shadows: the latest North Korean ballistic missile test and a new lawsuit in South Korea that could scupper hopes of resetting bilateral relations.

March 16, 2023