While it is still unsure if our want-to-be basketball diplomat, Dennis Rodman, will get to see his “friend-for-life”, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un or not, as he has on his last two trips this year, he is due to arrive in Beijing, China later today before traveling to North Korea on Thursday.
This trip apparently remains on schedule despite recent political upheaval in that country that resulted in the execution of ruler Kim Jong Un’s uncle for alleged treason amongst other charges. The trip was arranged before last Friday’s execution of Jang Song Thaek who was believed to be the second-most powerful man in North Korea after Kim himself. The State Department has long advised Americans not to travel to North Korea, a warning that was restated earlier this month after 85-year-old Merrill Newman was released by Pyongyang after being detained for more than a month and forced to read a “confession” of alleged crimes he committed during the 1950-1953 war. Likewise, Kenneth Bae, an American missionary convicted of hostile acts against North Korea due to his surreptitious work there, is serving a 15-year sentence of hard labor, despite calls from the State Department and Bae’s family for his release.
A spokesman for the Irish online betting website Paddy Power, Rodman will be traveling with a documentary film crew in tow but it is unknown if he’ll actually meet with leader Kim Jong Un or not. He also stated that Rodman was due to stay in North Korea until next Monday.
Kim Jong Un and Rodman became such good friends as it seems Un loves basketball. Kim is believed to have become a fan of the NBA while at boarding school in Switzerland, and is believed to be a particular fan of the Chicago Bulls, with who Rodman won three straight NBA championships between 1996 and 1998. Rodman has said in the past that he would like to train the North Korean national basketball team and has also spoken of bringing former NBA players to the isolated country to play a series of exhibitions early next year. Rodman has referred to the North Korean dictator as his “friend-for-life,” and suggested that President Obama and Kim Jong Un should bond over their shared love of basketball.
I’m trying to restrain my personal opinion on this matter but do add, for Mr. Rodman’s sake, I hope being “friends-for-life” is a much loftier position than being a family member …such as an uncle who was at least partially responsible for getting you into power in the first place!
Read more on Rodman’s previous North Korean adventures: https://fggam.org/dennis-rodman-to-visit-his-friend-for-life-in-north-korea-again/
Read more on Jang Song Thaek’s execution: https://fggam.org/north-korea-executes-jang-song-thaek-kim-jong-uns-uncle/
Read more on Korean War Veteran Merrill Newman’s release: http://fggam.org/praise-god-merrill-newman-is-home/