WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Thursday the time was not right for Google Inc's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, and New Mexico's former governor, Bill Richardson, to make a planned trip to North Korea.

"We don't think the timing of this is particularly helpful," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters, citing North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket in December, which raised tensions in the region.

She said both men were well aware of U.S. concerns about the timing of their planned trip.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Sandra Maler)