KT columnist publishes his new book on Korea

Andrew Salmon poses with his latest book “Modern Korea: All That Matters.”

By Yi Whan-woo

Andrew Salmon, a British columnist for The Korea Times, says the publication of his new book, titled “Modern Korea: All That Matters,” is evidence of greater international interest in Korea.

Published in August, the book explains key themes related to South and North Korea. They include the democratic South’s economic success, advanced technology, pop culture, “jaebeol” or family-owned conglomerates and anti-Japanese sentiment, as well as the communist North’s political and economic failures.

Salmon, 47, said he was surprised when the book’s publishers, Hodder-Stoughton in the United Kingdom and McGraw-Hill in the United States, asked him to write it as part of a series called “All That Matters.” The series includes about 30 titles ― among them are “Modern China,” “Modern Japan,” “Ancient Egypt,” “The Romans,” “God,” “Buddhism,” “Muhammad” and “Democracy.”

“I was impressed and pleasantly surprised that one of the first titles was to be about Korea,” Salmon said during an email interview with The Korea Times this week. “This shows, I think, the growing international interest in Korea in spheres that range from big business to pop culture; from high technology to geopolitics; from traditional heritage to development economics.”

Defining the Korean Peninsula as a “land of extremes,” he said “Modern Korea” was unique because it dealt with the two Koreas in terms of theme, not chronology.

He believes his readership consists mainly of students, businesspeople and diplomats from English-speaking countries with an interest in Asia.

“The book is written for an Anglosphere readership from an Anglosphere perspective,” he said. “I try to show that South Korean capitalism is as different from Anglo-Saxon capitalism as North Korean communism was from Russian communism.

“And as many expatriates tend to become deeply engaged by Korea, I hope they will pick it up and give it a critical read,” he added.

At the same time, he said Koreans also will find the book interesting because it offers an outsider’s perspective.

Salmon first visited Seoul as a backpacker in 1989. He works as a Seoul-based reporter, covering the two Koreas for Forbes, France 24, The South China Morning Post, The Straits Times and The Washington Times.