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| Angry Dennis Rodman defends North Korea visit | Angry Dennis Rodman defends North Korea visit |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Dennis Rodman has angrily defended his visit to North Korea, ahead of a basketball game to mark leader Kim Jong-un's birthday. | Dennis Rodman has angrily defended his visit to North Korea, ahead of a basketball game to mark leader Kim Jong-un's birthday. |
| In an interview with CNN, Rodman was asked if he would raise the issue of a US citizen jailed in North Korea. | In an interview with CNN, Rodman was asked if he would raise the issue of a US citizen jailed in North Korea. |
| The former NBA player responded with a rant that at one point appeared to point blame at the man, Kenneth Bae. | The former NBA player responded with a rant that at one point appeared to point blame at the man, Kenneth Bae. |
| Rodman's visit has been criticised by rights groups, with Washington making it clear he does not represent the US. | Rodman's visit has been criticised by rights groups, with Washington making it clear he does not represent the US. |
| His team of former National Basketball Association (NBA) players will take on a North Korean team in an exhibition match later on Wednesday in Pyongyang. | His team of former National Basketball Association (NBA) players will take on a North Korean team in an exhibition match later on Wednesday in Pyongyang. |
| Rodman says the match is to celebrate Kim Jong-un's birthday, although his official birthday and age have not been confirmed. | Rodman says the match is to celebrate Kim Jong-un's birthday, although his official birthday and age have not been confirmed. |
| It comes weeks after the execution of Mr Kim's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, once seen as a major power in North Korea. His rapid and brutal purge has sparked concern over stability inside the country. | It comes weeks after the execution of Mr Kim's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, once seen as a major power in North Korea. His rapid and brutal purge has sparked concern over stability inside the country. |
| Meanwhile, state news agency KCNA has announced that elections for North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament will be held on 9 March - something which could provide a hint of who the key players are in the wake of Mr Chang's execution. | Meanwhile, state news agency KCNA has announced that elections for North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament will be held on 9 March - something which could provide a hint of who the key players are in the wake of Mr Chang's execution. |
| 'Take the abuse' | 'Take the abuse' |
| This visit is Dennis Rodman's fourth to North Korea. He has in the past described Mr Kim as a friend and says he is on a "basketball diplomacy" mission. He remains the highest-profile American to have met the young leader. | This visit is Dennis Rodman's fourth to North Korea. He has in the past described Mr Kim as a friend and says he is on a "basketball diplomacy" mission. He remains the highest-profile American to have met the young leader. |
| Rodman had been asked several times in the past whether he could use his relationship with Mr Kim to discuss Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May 2013. | Rodman had been asked several times in the past whether he could use his relationship with Mr Kim to discuss Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May 2013. |
| North Korea said that Mr Bae - described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary - had used his tourism business to plot sedition. | North Korea said that Mr Bae - described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary - had used his tourism business to plot sedition. |
| Asked again in a CNN interview, Rodman appeared to lose his cool, saying: "If you understand what Kenneth Bae did... Do you understand what he did in this country? ... I would love to speak on this." | |
| His visit was about opening "the door a little bit", he said, even though the team would have "to go back to America and take the abuse". | His visit was about opening "the door a little bit", he said, even though the team would have "to go back to America and take the abuse". |
| A White House spokesman declined to comment on Rodman's remarks, but reiterated a call for North Korea to release Mr Bae - who is suffering from ill health - on humanitarian grounds. | A White House spokesman declined to comment on Rodman's remarks, but reiterated a call for North Korea to release Mr Bae - who is suffering from ill health - on humanitarian grounds. |
| Mr Bae's sister described Rodman's comments as appalling. | |
| "He clearly doesn't know anything about Kenneth, about his case," Terri Chung told CNN. "This isn't some game. This is about a person's life." | |
| Another player, former NBA star Charles D Smith, meanwhile, told the Associated Press news agency that he felt "remorse" for participating in the trip amid the backlash in the US. | Another player, former NBA star Charles D Smith, meanwhile, told the Associated Press news agency that he felt "remorse" for participating in the trip amid the backlash in the US. |
| "I feel a lot of remorse for the guys because we are doing something positive, but it's a lot bigger than us. We are not naive, we understand why things are being portrayed the way they are." | "I feel a lot of remorse for the guys because we are doing something positive, but it's a lot bigger than us. We are not naive, we understand why things are being portrayed the way they are." |