Google executive chairman arrives in North Korea
Source: Agencies |
January 8, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
GOOGLE'S chairman wants a first-hand look at North Korea's economy and social media during his private visit to the communist nation, his delegation said yesterday, despite misgivings in Washington over the timing of the trip.
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of one of the world's biggest Internet companies, is the highest-profile US executive to visit North Korea since young leader Kim Jong Un took power a year ago. His visit has drawn criticism from the US State Department because it comes only weeks after a controversial North Korean rocket launch; it has also prompted speculation about what the businessman hopes to accomplish.
Schmidt arrived in North Korea's capital Pyongyang yesterday with former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who has traveled more than a half-dozen times to North Korea over the past 20 years.
Richardson, speaking ahead of the flight from Beijing, called the trip a private, humanitarian mission.
"This is not a Google trip, but I'm sure he's interested in some of the economic issues there, the social media aspect. So this is why we are teamed up on this," Richardson said without elaborating on what he meant by the "social media aspect."
"We'll meet with North Korean political leaders. We'll meet with North Korean economic leaders, military. We'll visit some universities. We don't control the visit. They will let us know what the schedule is when we get there," he said.
US officials have criticized the four-day trip. "We don't think the timing of the visit is helpful, and they are well aware of our views," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters last week.
Schmidt is expected to make a donation during the visit, while Richardson will try to discuss the detainment of a US citizen jailed in Pyongyang.
"We're going to try to inquire the status, see if we can see him, possibly lay the groundwork for him coming home," Richardson said of the US citizen. "I heard from his son who asked me to bring him back. I doubt we can do it on this trip."
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of one of the world's biggest Internet companies, is the highest-profile US executive to visit North Korea since young leader Kim Jong Un took power a year ago. His visit has drawn criticism from the US State Department because it comes only weeks after a controversial North Korean rocket launch; it has also prompted speculation about what the businessman hopes to accomplish.
Schmidt arrived in North Korea's capital Pyongyang yesterday with former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who has traveled more than a half-dozen times to North Korea over the past 20 years.
Richardson, speaking ahead of the flight from Beijing, called the trip a private, humanitarian mission.
"This is not a Google trip, but I'm sure he's interested in some of the economic issues there, the social media aspect. So this is why we are teamed up on this," Richardson said without elaborating on what he meant by the "social media aspect."
"We'll meet with North Korean political leaders. We'll meet with North Korean economic leaders, military. We'll visit some universities. We don't control the visit. They will let us know what the schedule is when we get there," he said.
US officials have criticized the four-day trip. "We don't think the timing of the visit is helpful, and they are well aware of our views," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters last week.
Schmidt is expected to make a donation during the visit, while Richardson will try to discuss the detainment of a US citizen jailed in Pyongyang.
"We're going to try to inquire the status, see if we can see him, possibly lay the groundwork for him coming home," Richardson said of the US citizen. "I heard from his son who asked me to bring him back. I doubt we can do it on this trip."
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