Google's Schmidt Touches Down In Pyongyang, Despite The Critics | NK News
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September 18, 2026Sep 18, 2026

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Google’s Schmidt Touches Down In Pyongyang, Despite The Critics

Purpose of high-profile visit is not clear, but Richardson suggests there may be a "social media aspect"

Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt and Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico, today arrived in North Korea following days of heated debate about their trip.  While it’s the seventh time Richardson’s visited the DPRK, it marks Schmidt’s first visit, leaving many observers pondering what will come of it.

Although some speculate that Schmidt hopes to open a new market in the country, North Korea’s highly limited internet access and computer infrastructure make this improbable. Although the delegation has stated several times that the visit is not being conducted on behalf of the United States government, some political figures