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Schmidt says he held “good” talks with Samsung

Recent discussions with Samsung were “good,” Google chairman Eric Schmidt told The Korea Herald.

He declined to elaborate, but answered in the affirmative to questions on whether he discussed ways for strengthening software competitiveness in his meetings with Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jay-yong.

John Lagerling, Google‘s director of Android Global Partnerships, added that the two partners are working on both software and hardware.

He evaded questions on Google’s thoughts toward the Chrome Operating System being developed by LG, saying he was ”not allowed to talk about it officially.”

Schmidt was originally to visit Korea for a two-day visit but pushed it up by a day to enter the country on Tuesday.

As he had done in last year’s visit, the chairman knocked on Samsung‘s doors to meet with the younger Lee and other Samsung Electronics executives.

This is Schmidt’s fourth visit here, and his insistence on meeting Samsung people is a demonstration of the strong partnership between the two enjoy, aides said, despite nagging doubts spurred by reports of Samsung’s wishes to wean itself off of Android. 

On Wednesday, he held a press conference at the Hangeul Museum in Yongsan where the press was asked specifically to ask questions only regarding the issue at hand -- Hangeul and Google‘s support for Hallyu.

Later in the day, he attended the Big Tent 2013, a cultural event led by both Google and the Culture Ministry where the chairman talked about issues running the gamut from North Korea, creativity-promoting education and singer Psy’s Gangnam Style.

On Thursday, he is scheduled to speak at a lecture at Seoul National University on how to become a successful startup.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)