Eric Schmidt says North Korea must open up to internet as visit ends

GOOGLE - Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, has warned North Korea that the risk of further isolation and economic decline rapidly unless loosening its grip on access to the internet.

Speaking in Beijing at the end of a four-day visit to North Korea by Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, Schmidt said the regime will fall further behind the rest of the world except for widening access to the internet and mobile phones among 24 million people.

"As the world becomes increasingly connected, their decision to virtually isolated very much will affect their physical world, economic growth and so on, and it will make it harder for them to catch up economically.

"We made a very clear alternative," Schmidt said at the end of the trip that the U.S. State Department have criticized as "unhelpful" for trying to pressure the regime to abandon nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

"Once the internet started, people in a country can build on it, but the government must do something," Schmidt told reporters at Beijing airport. "They should allow people to use the internet, where the government of North Korea is not doing their choices now., And in my view it is time now for them to start or they will stay behind."

Schmidt and Richardson did not answer criticism of Washington from their visit to Pyongyang, where they met government officials, scientists, software engineers and students, saying only that it was a very personal journey and humanity.

Richardson, who has made several trips to North Korea, said he urged the regime to end missile and nuclear weapons programs. "It is important for the steps to be taken to ease tensions on the peninsula."

He also asked the authorities to ensure that Kenneth Bae, a U.S. citizen in custody of North Korea, who are treated humanely. "We were told that his health is good, that the judicial process will start soon," said Richardson. "That was encouraging." He was not able to meet Bae, who has been charged with crimes against the state is not specified.

The couple said they also "strongly" urged the North Korean government to open up access to the internet and cell phones and relaxing strict controls on its use by a small minority of elite residents.

"The Internet is vital to the welfare of the North Korean people, to expand mobile technology, to expand the use of mobile phones," said Richardson.

Schmidt, to date the highest-ranking U.S. business executives to visit the secret state, has been guarded about the purpose of his visit. Some analysts have suggested he used the commitment to freedom online as a means to expand the global reach of Google, even if it includes the world's darkest, most repressive corners.

Internet traffic, even in poor countries such as North Korea, could eventually mean more opportunities to sell digital advertising, which makes up the bulk of Google's $ 50 billion (£ 31bn) in annual revenues.

Schmidt, however, insisted that he had joined the U.S. delegation in a private capacity. "It was a personal visit to North Korea, to talk about a free and open internet., And they show up and listen to us and asked us many questions," he said.

Companies can benefit from the relaxation of internet access in North Korea, however. State leader, Kim Jong-un, has shown some signs of relaxing strict controls on civilian life imposed by his father and grandfather, but make a point of emphasizing science and technology during a rare public address on New Year's Day.

In the same address, Kim, who turned 30 this week, said he would make a priority of developing the country's economy this year, and urged residents to improve their knowledge of technology as a means to achieve that goal.

Currently only a small portion of the population has access to the internet, and most of the 1.5m mobile phones in the hands of the country's political elite, military and commercial.

"There's internet and intranet monitored, supervised the people are not allowed to use the internet without someone else watching them, it turns out," Schmidt said. "There's a private intranet network in North Korea that connects their university."

North Korea's intranet has its own website up and running using Internet technology but does not interact with the rest of the world. A small number of people - usually government officials, people who worked in the propaganda division, senior scientist and several students - has been limited, and most likely monitored, access.

North Korea experts said the technology controversial visit Schmidt is not likely to generate significant opportunities for both sides.

Martyn Williams, who runs the blog Tech Korea, Schmidt said in the regime's interest is part of a broader appeal with countries around the world where internet access is prohibited or restricted, adding that his message to the disclosure was not likely to have much impact.

"If something does not come out of the visit, it may be a small step, such a problem to get a modern PC to university I was a little limited in what they can do as the U.S. high-tech companies .. As for Google to make money there, I think it's still far away."

Williams said it would be "politically" difficult for Google to operate any services in North Korea coincides with more freedom than the ordinary citizen.

"We're not just talking about stopping people who read certain websites," he said. "In North Korea the wrong email or web site may lead to tougher penalties for the sender or the browser, so I do not think I could take the risk associated in any way with the natural action by the regime."

Schmidt, who was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of the company's in-house think tank, Google Ideas, toured Korea Computer Center in Pyongyang, and asked a local expert on the new computer tablet Samjiyon country and its Red Star operating system.

He and Richardson also learn about software data encryption North Korea, facial recognition software, a software video chatrooms and instant messaging services.

John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the UN during the last Bush administration, said Schmidt and Richardson have been used by the North Korean regime to enhance international legitimacy.

They "have joined the long list of Americans and others used by the Kim family dictatorship for political advantage," Bolton wrote in the New York Daily News.

"North Korea has repeatedly welcomed prominent American to help enhance its position It is seeking direct talks with Washington, in a distorted vision of the leadership of the nation, this will lead to full diplomatic recognition and 'equal' status in the world .."

Richardson said other countries in the region needed to move towards a new bilateral relationship with the north to relieve the tension. "We think it's important that the north-south dialogue will be revived, and we think it's important that the United States and North Korea began to experience positive bilateral talks," he said. "We need dialogue, not confrontation, on the peninsula."