Google's North Korea Trip Timing Not Favored By U.S. State Department

Government Concerned About Google Chairman's North Korea Trip
Eric Schmidt, Chairman of Google, testifies to the US Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, during a hearing on Google's business and privacy practices on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, September 21, 2011. Schmidt defended the Internet giant on Wednesday against accusations it is abusing its dominant position in online search. In written testimony submitted to a US Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing, Schmidt said most complaints about Google 'come from websites that don't like where their sites rank on Google's search results page.' AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Eric Schmidt, Chairman of Google, testifies to the US Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, during a hearing on Google's business and privacy practices on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, September 21, 2011. Schmidt defended the Internet giant on Wednesday against accusations it is abusing its dominant position in online search. In written testimony submitted to a US Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing, Schmidt said most complaints about Google 'come from websites that don't like where their sites rank on Google's search results page.' AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department said on Thursday the time was not right for Google Inc's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, and New Mexico's former governor, Bill Richardson, to make a planned trip to North Korea.

"We don't think the timing of this is particularly helpful," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters, citing North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket in December, which raised tensions in the region.

She said both men were well aware of U.S. concerns about the timing of their planned trip.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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