Mike has had extensive experience in Korea. He started working in Korea in 1982 as a correspondent for The Washington Times, The Guardian, The Times and other newspapers.

In 1994, he became a management consultant specializing in North Korea. He entered the public relations field in 1999 as the managing director of Burson-Marsteller where he remained until 2004.

Examples of client responsibilities there included Raytheon, BAE, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Hyundai Group and Incheon International Airport. In 2003, he was the international press relations coordinator for the local organizers of the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Dubai.

Mike was made an honorary citizen of Seoul in 2001. He is the author of The Koreans (1999) and Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader (2004).