Dennis Rodman offers to take jailed American's place in North Korea

Washington (AFP) February 1, 2014 - Former basketball star Dennis Rodman offered Friday to take the place of an imprisoned Korean-American in North Korea, as he spoke publicly for the first time from a rehab facility.

Rodman, 52, appeared on CNN less than a month after his fourth trip within 12 months to North Korea, where he sang "Happy Birthday" to supreme leader Kim Jong-Un, whom he calls a personal friend.

He said he felt for the family of Kenneth Bae, 45, a devout Christian tour operator arrested in November 2012 and later sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for allegedly importing "inflammatory" material.

"I feel for them deeply," he told CNN's "New Day" program.

"Like I said, I will do anything, literally anything -- this is Dennis Rodman talking -- if they say, 'We'll take Dennis Rodman and let Kenneth Bae go,' straightaway, take me.

"I will do that... I have no problem," he added.

Upon leaving North Korea earlier this month, Rodman prompted outrage when he suggested on the same CNN program that Bae was responsible for his own fate.

The player later apologized and blamed alcohol for his remarks.

In an email to AFP, Bae's sister Terri Chung declined to react to Rodman's latest remarks, saying: "We are going to decline politely from making any comments at this time."

Rodman, who checked into a rehab facility in New Jersey upon his return to the United States, also spoke of his alcoholism, stating: "I've always been a party animal (and) the reason I drink is because I'm bored."

Of North Korea's leader, he said: "I don't know him as a dictator. With him, he's a 31-year-old guy and I call him a kid all the time, and yeah, he's my friend.

"I look at him as that because he gave me the opportunity to at least come in to the country of North Korea to bring a basketball team, to show the world, just show the world that we can actually get along," Rodman added.

Kim is reportedly a huge fan of basketball and especially of the Chicago Bulls, with whom Rodman won three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s.

Rodman also insisted he was "not a traitor" for paying repeat visits to a country that the United States regards as a major threat to regional security in the Asia-Pacific region.

"I've never been a traitor," he said. "I want to make people happy in the world... My intentions are not bad intentions. I want people to understand that."

Bae's mother and sister attended President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address in Washington on Tuesday, a sign of that the US government is not forgetting his plight.

Washington has said it was ready to send its envoy on human rights in North Korea, Robert King, to the reclusive East Asian nation to help bring Bae back to the United States.

On January 20, Bae appeared at a press conference in Pyongyang at which he admitted to wrongdoing and appealed to Washington to help secure his release "at the earliest possible date," Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

There was no way of knowing if Bae, whose Korean name is Pae Jun-Ho, was speaking under duress.

Bae is reported to be suffering serious health problems and to have lost more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms) since being jailed.

But at the press conference, Bae claimed he was in normal health after five months of treatment in hospital, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-02-01

talk is cheap

Never heard of this Rodman guy before but isn't he sweet for offering to do that for the family? He will spend the next 14 yrs living in the palace with his lunatic mate Kimmie well until Kimmie gets pissed off at him for leaving the toilet seat up and has him executed.

Can N Korea take some Thai politicians in exchange, instead?!

Wow, Rodman will do anything to get out of treatment.

Don't believe it for a minute, can't imaging that this Bae fellow is getting the 5 star treatment that Dennis enjoys.

I do agree with Rodman's drunken rant about the fact that Bae is jailed there is due to his own doing, given that the world knows what a weird place NK maybe.

Careful what you say Dennis, your mate Kim sure has some really hungry dogs at his place. You wouldn't want to meet them on your next visit.

Can't wait till the Fat Kim starts sporting Tatoos all over his body and pieces his face with safety pins and nails ......

Bae was a fool to go to NK and act subversively.

It is not the place to go and expect open freedom of speech.

When in Rome ........keep your mouth shut.

Perhaps Rodman will become a Pedigree Chum.

The US Government would probably jump at the idea of a swap.

talk is cheap

the sooner the better, than the creep could play basketball with the idiot!

Bae was a fool to go to NK and act subversively.

It is not the place to go and expect open freedom of speech.

When in Rome ........keep your mouth shut.

Off Topic .. sorry .... Nice Guit decee !! That an original Tele ???.... Yours ???

Never heard of this Rodman guy before but isn't he sweet for offering to do that for the family? He will spend the next 14 yrs living in the palace with his lunatic mate Kimmie well until Kimmie gets pissed off at him for leaving the toilet seat up and has him executed.

You don't know rodman? Do you know michael jordan?

Perhaps you don't even know michael jackson.

It's a pathetic PR ploy. If NK held him it would be in luxury to run basketball camps.

Bae was a fool to go to NK and act subversively.

It is not the place to go and expect open freedom of speech.

When in Rome ........keep your mouth shut.

What subversive actions did he commit? There has been no details of his "crimes" nor any published evidence. That said, any S. Korean that goes to N. Korea for whatever reason is a fool for doing so. N. Korea still considers itself in a state of war with S. Korea so why would anybody from S. Korea expect humane and fair treatment?

If Dennis Rodman has problems with alcoholism he possibly has problems regarding the abuse of other substances that he would have access to in North Korea - that he would never be able to consider in the USA

as many as two-thirds of North Koreans have used methamphetamines.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/30/world/asia/north-korea-drugs/index.html

Edited February 1, 201412 yr by Asiantravel

He is just a pathetic drunk, useless in any way to regular society

Never heard of this Rodman guy before but isn't he sweet for offering to do that for the family? He will spend the next 14 yrs living in the palace with his lunatic mate Kimmie well until Kimmie gets pissed off at him for leaving the toilet seat up and has him executed.

You don't know rodman? Do you know michael jordan?

Perhaps you don't even know michael jackson.

I had to google him and see he is a retired American Basketball player. I'm an Aussie and Basketball is not that big down under, doesn't even get T.V coverage. Sorry but he was never a name in Australia.

Sounds like he's trying to redeem himself in the eye's of the american public

Sounds like he's trying to redeem himself in the eye's of the american public

Of course. I'd be surprised if it was even his own idea. Sounds like ploy from one of those celebrity damage control firms.

The guy's a fool. What a hollow gesture. He knows that will never happen.

He should just move to Pattaya and be done with it!

Why don't Ladies Lift the Seat when they leave the Loo, something Rodman could look into. His priorities are all wrong.

A sick person attracts sick friends.

One Day at a Time.

What's the problem here? I'm a huge supporter of him going to N. Korea. The more we know each other, the less we'll want to lob nukes at each other.

Someone should tap Rodman on the shoulder and tell him that his "friend" Kimmie (the "kid") is a ruthless power mad bloodthirsty megalomaniac killer!

I think that a lot of Americans will be quite upset if they think that what the North Koreans know about Americans is based on knowing Dennis Rodman.

I think that a lot of Americans will be quite upset if they think that what the North Koreans know about Americans is based on knowing Dennis Rodman.

He did Madonna in her prime.

The US Government would probably jump at the idea of a swap.

I am taking up a collection now....

Seriously.......what was that brilliant General that said...

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Dennis ought to be a bit more cautious on his relationships.

Sounds like he's trying to redeem himself in the eye's of the american public

Of course. I'd be surprised if it was even his own idea. Sounds like ploy from one of those celebrity damage control firms.

Agree the guys a total wako ...too many drugs I think