Basketball star Dennis Rodman defends North Korea visit to see 'friend for life' Kim Jong Un

 
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Robin de Peyer8 January 2014

Dennis Rodman has angrily defended himself after being criticised for taking a basketball team to play in North Korea and meeting his "friend for life" Kim Jong Un.

Speaking from the country's capital, Pyongyang, the NBA player insisted his visit had been "a great idea for the world".

He made the remarks the day before he is due to play a friendly game with a team of retired professionals from the NBA to mark Kim Jong Un's birthday tomorrow.

Holding a cigar in one hand, Rodman told CNN: "One day, one day this door is going to open because of these 10 guys here."

But he promptly seemed to lose his cool when he was asked whether he would try to use his influence over the dictator to push for the freedom of Kenneth Bae, an American citizen who is currently being held prisoner in the country.

"Kenneth Bae did one thing," he said. "If you understand what Kenneth Bae did Do you understand what he did in this country? No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why? ... I would love to speak on this."

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He continued: "You know, you've got 10 guys here, 10 guys here, they've left their families, they've left their damn families, to help this country, as in a sports venture. That's 10 guys, all these guys here, do anyone understand that? Christmas, New Year's. ...

"I don't give a rat's ass what the hell you think. I'm saying to you, look at these guys here, look at them ... they dared to do one thing, they came here."

But fellow basketballer Charles D. Smith said he expected former Chicago Bulls player Rodman to apologise for remarks he has made during the controversial tour at a later date.

"What we are doing is positive, but it is getting dwarfed by the other circumstances around it," Smith added.

"Apparently our message is not being conveyed properly due to the circumstances that are much bigger than us, and I think that has to do with politics and government."

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