US prisoner still held after Google boss' N. Korea visit

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Adrian Bradshaw / EPAGoogle executive chairman Eric Schmidt (l) and former governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson speak to reporters as they arrive at Beijing Capital Airport on Thursday. Schmidt and Richardson had flown from Pyongyang, North Korea where had been on a three day unofficial visit.By Ed Flanagan, Producer, NBC NewsBEIJING – American detainee Kenneth Bae remained in North Korea Thursday after a controversial visit by Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson failed to secure his release.

The pair told reporters at a media briefing at Beijing's airport that they had not been able to meet Korean-American Bae, who is charged with unspecified crimes against the secretive state.

However, they were confident their calls for greater Internet freedom for ordinary citizens had been “well received” by the Pyongyang regime.

“As the world becomes increasingly connected, their decision to be virtually isolated is very much going to affect their physical world," said Schmidt, who added that not opening up would "make it harder for them to catch up economically. We made that alternative very, very clear."

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