Richardson and Schmidt says North Korea wants improved relations with US and South Korea

Posted on : 2013-01-11 14:35 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Eric Schmidt and Bill Richardson leave without securing release of Korean-American prisoner
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By Park Min-hee, Beijing correspondent

Returning from his visit to North Korea, former governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson said that North Korea wants improved relations with South Korea and the US.

Richardson landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on the morning of Jan. 10 after a four day visit to North Korea with Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and other members of the delegation.

“[The North Korean officials] sincerely want to improve the country’s relationship with the US, and they were encouraged by the recent statements of the new South Korean president,” he said in reference to president-elect of South Korea Park Geun-hye, who will be inaugurated on Feb. 25.

This is notable, as it can be taken as North Korea’s response to Park’s statements during the presidential campaign that she might pursue more engagement with the North compared with the current Lee Myung-bak administration. Also, Park’s presidential transition committee is reportedly considering partially relaxing the so-called May 24th measures.

The South implemented the May 24th measures after it determined that North Korea was responsible for sinking the Cheonan warship. The measures included halting trade with the North and visits there by South Korean citizens with the exception of a small number of humanitarian visits.

“I hope that dialogue between the North and South is resumed and that the US and the North can engage in more positive two-party talks,” Richardson said. “With new leaders currently in place in the US, South Korea, and Japan, what we need is not confrontation, but conversation.”

He said that, while he was in North Korea, he met and talked to various members of the ministry of foreign affairs, including Vice-minister Ri Yong-ho, members of the military and scientists. However, Richardson admitted that he was not able to see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“We strongly urged the North Koreans to put a moratorium on ballistic missiles and any nuclear testing that might happen in the future,” he said.

Schmidt, who is executive chairman of Google, the world’s largest internet corporation, said that he encouraged the North Korean government to give its people greater online access.

“It’s [North Korea’s] choice now, and time, in my view, for them to start [providing increased access to the Internet] or they will remain behind,” Schmidt said.

While Schmidt was staying in Pyongyang, he visited Kim Il Sung University and observed how students there used computers. “Internet use in North Korea is extremely limited, and both the internet and the country’s intranet are under surveillance,” he said. “People in the government, military, and academy can use them but ordinary people still lack access.”

In regard to negotiations for the release of Korean American Kenneth Bae (Korean name Pae Jun Ho), who is being detained by North Korea, Richardson explained that the North Korean authorities had informed him that Bae is in good health and that legal proceedings against him would be starting soon.

While Richardson wasn’t able to meet Bae, he did say that the North Korea officials promised to give Bae a letter from his son. Reports say that Bae was taken into custody because of a problematic picture that was taken during his trip to the North in November 2012.

Richardson announced that he would be briefing the US State Department on the outcome of his visit. The nine members of the group led by Richardson arrived in North Korea on Jan. 7 and visited sites including the Pyongyang Computer Center and the Grand People’s Study Hall.

 

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