The US Government has voiced its opposition to a planned North Korea visit by Google’s executive chairman.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday said that the timing of the visit by Eric Schmidt and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson was “unhelpful“.
People familiar with the plans told The Associated Press that the trip will take place this month.
Last month, North Korea shot a satellite into space on the back of a three-stage rocket in defiance of a United Nations ban. Washington and others decried it as a covert test of ballistic missile technology and are seeking UN Security Council action against Pyongyang.
Nuland said Schmidt and Richardson were “well aware” of the US government’s views. She said they would be travelling as private citizens and carrying no messages from Washington.