Google chairman Eric Schmidt has reaffirmed intentions that the company’s Android mobile platform will remain free and that Motorola will not be favoured over other handset makers using Android once it becomes part of Google.

Schmidt made the comments at a media briefing in South Korea where Samsung and LG, two of the biggest smartphone vendors using Android, are based. According to Reuters, Schmidt met with Samsung and LG executives during his visit, as well as South Korean operators KT Corp, LG Uplus and SK Telecom.

There have been concerns among other handset makers using Android that when Google’s US$12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility is completed, the US-based handset maker will be favoured by Google in terms of getting the latest Android developments. If it goes through, the Motorola Mobility deal would bring 17,000 patents which Google can use to protect Android.

Schmidt said the open source Android platform will continue to be available to mobile phone makers for free once the planned acquisition of Motorola goes through. Schmidt is quoted by Bloomberg as saying the Motorola deal won’t "violate the openness of Android,” and that the company will run independently.

According to Reuters, Schmidt also plans to visit Taiwan, where another leading Android phone maker HTC is based, followed by Beijing, China, a market where Android is making significant inroads.

Both Samsung and HTC are currently involved in patent disputes with Apple, which is attempting to limit the growth of Android, now the most widely-used mobile phone platform.