Google CEO Tells North Korea to Open it's Doors to Internet

Google asks North Korea open

Eric Schmidt and Bill Richardson were greeted by a massive press corps when they landed in Beijing after his trip to Pyongyang.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt asking North Korea to open up and provide Internet access to all citizens in the closed country.

Schmidt has visited North Korea with the U.S. politician Bill Richardson.

The purpose of the trip was likely to negotiate the release of a U.S. citizen who is detained and who risk 5-10 years of hard labor.

But it is linked to the country's new young leader Kim Jong-un in his New Year speech said the goal is to modernize the economy through science and technology.

Must allow Internet

Eric Schmidt is nevertheless one of the few outsiders who in practice have seen the use of the Internet in North Korea.

The country has its own closed network version, which a small number of citizens with access to a computer has access to. This intranet is very limited. Only a handful are given permission to work against the major world today. This "super small" includes a few hundred people, the top thousand.

Schmidt did observe some of these privileged at a university in Pyongyang. Students set according to news agency Associated Press in a room that was more like a cyber laboratory. Those who are granted the trust, nevertheless carefully monitored what websites they visit.

- I expressed that the country is going to evolve and keep pace with the rest of the world, if they do not open up technology from the outside world, it also means the use of the Internet, Schmidt said at a press conference in Beijing, after he and Richardson were back from Beijing.

They were met at the airport by a massive press corps.

The major U.S. search engine giant has established itself in many parts of the world, including North Korea's large neighbor, China. They have had several feuds with Chinese officials about their desire to censorship and shutdown.

Nevertheless, China is miles ahead of North Korea in the use of Internet and network transparency.

North Korea is struggling with distinctly poverty and famine, and it does not make a bad situation better that a lot of resources going to the country's military program

- Since the world more and more connected with each other, then their decision to remain technologically isolated affect their physical world, their economic growth - and it will make it harder for them to catch up with the economic lead, said Google chairman Schmidt.

- Through the Internet, citizens can shape and direct their own lives. The government will have to do something, continued Schmidt.

Experts on North Korea believe such freedom that Schmidt argued against the North Korean leaders he met, the years ahead. And the North Koreans, who have lived a life with no clue how the rest of the world will get downright shocked if the net open.

Nevertheless, Bill Richardson who led delegation believes talks about the Internet and Google chairman had the opportunity to argue for technological freedom, was one of the major successes of the trip.

They did not meet Kim Jong-un, but other high-ranking individuals in the North Korean control system - without Richardson wanted to name a few.

Must curb nuclear fervor

The former UN ambassador also took up the issue of North Korea's controversial nuclear program and their eagerness to show the world - especially when the stop opposite - that they are able to produce missiles with greater and greater range.

According to Richardson, they have had frank discussions with the North Koreans about the tense situation on the Korean peninsula.

- North Korea needs to temper when it comes to its nuclear development and zeal, said Richardson told reporters.

The U.S. government has been opposed to the trip, which has been postponed once at the request of the authorities.

U.S. is trying to negotiate with the countries in the UN Security Council sanctions after North Korea fired up before July probably a rocket and believed that a visit from a private American delegation would undermine these efforts.