Dennis Rodman tours N. Korea Again.

Retired US basketball player Dennis Rodman has arrived in North Korea to arrange a friendship basketball match.

The match between North Korea and a group of ex-players is to mark leader Kim Jong-un's birthday.

The visit comes a week after Mr Kim's uncle was executed, a move described as the biggest shake-up since the death of ex-ruler Kim Jong-il two years ago.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing before his trip, Mr Rodman said the execution had nothing to do with his visit.

"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.

Organisers of the trip say that Mr Rodman will also train the national basketball team.

The US State Department has stressed that he is not representing the US government on this trip.

'Really cool things'
Mr Rodman has previously described his visits as "basketball diplomacy", and called Mr Kim - a huge basketball fan - his "friend for life".

The retired player plans to bring 12 former players from the National Basketball Association (NBA) of North America for an exhibition game on 8 January.

In an interview with the AP news agency in Pyongyang, he said: "I've come over to see my friend, and people always give me a little hard time about me saying that."

"I'm very proud to say he's my friend, because he hasn't done anything to put a damper, to say any negative things about my country.

"North Korea has given me the opportunity to bring these players and their families over here, so people can actually see, so these players can actually see, that this country is actually not as bad as people project it to be in the media."

He said he would know if he had succeeded in his mission if the former NBA players go home after the game in January saying "some really, really nice things, some really cool things about this country".

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.

'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."

"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.

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.

- Source

I'm sure some of you have already heard of this, but I wanted to share it here for discussion. My biggest issue with this, besides Rodman's obvious disregard for placating a corrupt regime, is the part where he just shrugs off human rights abuses.

I'm not sure what to make of his claims that Kim is his friend for life and how he seems butt-hurt that people take exception to his actions. The fact that he could care less about detained Americans and the fact that North Korea hates America since forever is baffling. That he is just there to have fun and bring the joy of basketball or whatever to the poor basketball-less people of N. Korea is just more to perplex us.

Thoughts?

How can anyone be friends with someone who just had his uncle killed?

By the magic of slam-dunking, apparently.

N. Korea could kill Dennis or imprison him, if it was to their political benefit.

But they won't. He's a high profile buffoon who amuses their leader and counters all the claims that North Korea is really one of the most authoritarian cesspools of our age.

Originally posted by Stealth Moose
But they won't. He's a high profile buffoon who amuses their leader and counters all the claims that North Korea is really one of the most authoritarian cesspools of our age.

I guess if Dennis said something wrong during dinner, his translator would be executed instead.

The promo pictures don't appear to have a translator. I imagine Kim speaks some broken English, or at least enough to understand Dennis Rodman's no doubt immense grasp of semantics.

Originally posted by Stealth Moose
The promo pictures don't appear to have a translator. I imagine Kim speaks some broken English, or at least enough to understand Dennis Rodman's no doubt immense grasp of semantics.

OH! someone needs to do a comity skit with the two trying to communicate. That would be SL material. 😂

Yes, yes it would.

My message to Dennis Rodman:

Befriending a dictator and then avoiding talking about human rights abuses with him doesn't make you a hero, in fact it makes you a coward, or potentially even worse: someone who lacks basic human empathy and integrity.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
My message to Dennis Rodman:

Befriending a dictator and then avoiding talking about human rights abuses with him doesn't make you a hero, in fact it makes you a coward, or even worse someone who lacks basic human empathy and integrity.

👆

My huge issue is that we are still reporting on that dipshit. The first time it was news, the second okay sure, lets drop it now.

There is one useful thing about Rodman's visits, and that's that we get a glimpse into North Korea's elite, albeit one touched up and airbrushed by their propagandists.

Also apparently Rodman frequents a CVS Pharmacy about ten minutes south of my apartment.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
N. Korea could kill Dennis or imprison him, if it was to their political benefit.

Are you FNUTS or just dupid? Damn, here I thought yinz people on these forums were more smarter than that. Rodman been working with the CIA for years, he's a double agent doing some espionage type stuff. Don't know one get that close to a crazy dictator bent on destroying the western world and everything it stand for unless they're trying to assassinate someone or get the dirt on them. The only other conclusion is that he be trying to build a bridge between cultures or he just sucking up that lime light cuz he like attention. We all know Rodman aint THAT vain. He aint smart or caring enough to want to change eether so yea it gotta be him workin for da gomment. It's a black man in office so of course he would hire his favorite basketball star to be his assassin...,right? 🤣

Yea we just figured some stuff out here 💃

Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
Are you FNUTS or just dupid? Damn, here I thought yinz people on these forums were more smarter than that. Rodman been working with the CIA for years, he's a double agent doing some espionage type stuff. Don't know one get that close to a crazy dictator bent on destroying the western world and everything it stand for unless they're trying to assassinate someone or get the dirt on them. The only other conclusion is that he be trying to build a bridge between cultures or he just sucking up that lime light cuz he like attention. We all know Rodman aint THAT vain. He aint smart or caring enough to want to change eether so yea it gotta be him workin for da gomment. It's a black man in office so of course he would hire his favorite basketball star to be his assassin...,right? 🤣

Yea we just figured some stuff out here 💃

It was just wishful thinking on my part.

YouTube video

Dennis has taken so many drugs, he wouldn't know what planet he's from 😂

NO S**T!

He thought in North Korea he was on a galactic mission 😄

My Old Man (Father) did the service in Australia just before he was sent to Korea......then it ended! The War (Korean War). He's 79, nearly 80...in March. My old Lady (mother) is 64.............he is cradle snatcher 😆 🤣

At his Pub - it's a Surf Club. A few mates, will rib him (a joke)...."you robbed a young girl to marry you" 😂

Me and my old Man (father) 39 years ago

He's broken his nose 3 times......me!! only the once... 😆

Originally posted by Omega Vision

Also apparently Rodman frequents a CVS Pharmacy about ten minutes south of my apartment.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
My message to Dennis Rodman:

Befriending a dictator and then avoiding talking about human rights abuses with him doesn't make you a hero, in fact it makes you a coward, or potentially even worse: someone who lacks basic human empathy and integrity.

Say this shit to his FACE then.

My Bi*ch sister and my mate...he's the blonde one