Basketball, booze & Kim Jong-un: Rodman says sorry for rant
A day after singing Happy Birthday to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, former NBA star Dennis Rodman apologies for his comments about captive US missionary Kenneth Bae.
Rodman, who was to visit a North Korean ski resort on Thursday, possibly along with leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement apologising for comments he made about Mr Bae, an American jailed by Pyongyang.
Mr Bae is Korean-American currently serving a 15-year hard labour sentence in North Korea. In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Rodman implied that Bae was at fault for being held captive.
I take full responsibility for my actions. I had been drinking – Dennis Rodman
However, Rodman made a u-turn on Thusday: “I take full responsibility for my actions. It had been a very stressful day.
“Some of my teammates were leaving because of pressure from their families and business associates. My dreams of basketball diplomacy was quickly falling apart. I had been drinking. It’s not an excuse but by the time the interview happened I was upset.”
‘Best friend’
Rodman sang Happy Birthday to the North Korean leader before leading a squad of former NBA stars in a friendly game on Wednesday as part of his “basketball diplomacy” that has been criticised in the United States.
Rodman dedicated the game to his “best friend” Kim, who along with his wife and other senior officials and their wives watched from a special seating area.
The capacity crowd of around 14,000 at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium clapped loudly as Rodman sang a verse from the birthday song.
Rodman said he was honoured to be able to play the game in the North Korean capital and called the event “historic.”
Some members of the US Congress, the NBA and human rights groups, however, say he has become a public relations tool for North Korea’s government.
Human rights record
The government’s poor human rights record and its threats to use nuclear weapons against rival South Korea and the United States have kept it a pariah state.
Kim shocked the world in December by having his uncle, once considered his mentor, executed after being accused of a litany of crimes including corruption, womanising, drug abuse and attempting to seize power.
Rodman, 52, has refused to address those concerns while continuing to forge a relationship with Kim, whose age has never been officially disclosed.
The government did not say how old he turned on Wednesday but he is believed to be in his early 30s.
In March, Rodman told Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow that Kim Jong-un “loves basketball and is a kid at heart”. Watch the video below:
