In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson responded to the U.S. State Department concerns about his upcoming trip to North Korea with Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. The trip is described as a "private humanitarian visit."

"I understand why they're cautious. This is a very sensitive time in diplomacy with North Korea," Richardson said, "but I felt that this time because of the humanitarian nature of the trip, the fact that there's an American detainee there... I think it's important that we go."

The full interview airs Friday during the 5pm ET hour of "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" on CNN.