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Rodman heads to North Korea for basketball visit | Rodman heads to North Korea for basketball visit |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Retired US basketball player Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea for a five-day visit, where he will train the national basketball team. | Retired US basketball player Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea for a five-day visit, where he will train the national basketball team. |
Mr Rodman has previously described his visits as "basketball diplomacy", and called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un his "friend for life". | Mr Rodman has previously described his visits as "basketball diplomacy", and called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un his "friend for life". |
The US State Department has stressed that Mr Rodman is not representing the US government on this trip. | The US State Department has stressed that Mr Rodman is not representing the US government on this trip. |
The visit comes a week after Mr Kim's uncle Chang Song-thaek was executed. | |
Analysts described Mr Chang's purge as the biggest political shake-up since the death of former ruler Kim Jong-il two years ago. | Analysts described Mr Chang's purge as the biggest political shake-up since the death of former ruler Kim Jong-il two years ago. |
Speaking to reporters in Beijing before heading to North Korea, Mr Rodman said politics had "nothing to do with [him]". | Speaking to reporters in Beijing before heading to North Korea, Mr Rodman said politics had "nothing to do with [him]". |
"I mean, whatever his uncle has done, and whoever's done anything in North Korea, I have no control over that. I mean, these things have been going on for years and years and years," he told Reuters news agency. | "I mean, whatever his uncle has done, and whoever's done anything in North Korea, I have no control over that. I mean, these things have been going on for years and years and years," he told Reuters news agency. |
"I'm just going over there to do a basketball game and have some fun," he added. | "I'm just going over there to do a basketball game and have some fun," he added. |
Organisers of the trip say that Mr Rodman will also arrange a friendship basketball match between North Korea and a group of former NBA players on 8 January, to mark Mr Kim's birthday. | Organisers of the trip say that Mr Rodman will also arrange a friendship basketball match between North Korea and a group of former NBA players on 8 January, to mark Mr Kim's birthday. |
Mr Rodman remains the most high-profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since the leader took over after his father died in 2011. | Mr Rodman remains the most high-profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since the leader took over after his father died in 2011. |
He said that he spent time with Mr Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju during his last visit in September, and said Mr Kim had a baby daughter called Ju-ae. | He said that he spent time with Mr Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju during his last visit in September, and said Mr Kim had a baby daughter called Ju-ae. |
'Brutal regime' | 'Brutal regime' |
US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Tuesday: "Dennis Rodman is not a representative of the US government in his trip to North Korea." | US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Tuesday: "Dennis Rodman is not a representative of the US government in his trip to North Korea." |
"We need to focus on what's really important here when it comes to North Korea... the brutality of the North Korean regime he's going to meet." | "We need to focus on what's really important here when it comes to North Korea... the brutality of the North Korean regime he's going to meet." |
American Kenneth Bae (known in North Korea as Pae Jun-ho) is detained in North Korea after being arrested in November 2012. He was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May. | American Kenneth Bae (known in North Korea as Pae Jun-ho) is detained in North Korea after being arrested in November 2012. He was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May. |
Mr Rodman previously rejected calls to lobby for Mr Bae's release. | Mr Rodman previously rejected calls to lobby for Mr Bae's release. |
"That's not my job to ask about Kenneth Bae,'' he told reporters after his September visit. | "That's not my job to ask about Kenneth Bae,'' he told reporters after his September visit. |