Dennis Rodman in North Korea to see friend Kim Jongun

Metanews: Dennis Rodman left Beijing on Tuesday for a five-day visit to North Korea, his second this year. There had been speculation that Rodman, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in March, would try to secure the release of American missionary Kenneth Bae who was jailed for 15 years for trying to overthrow the North Korean government. But Rodman told reporters at Beijing's Capital International Airport that his trip was more about "basketball diplomacy". "I want to try to keep the communication going, as far as like, I just want to go over there to meet my friend Kim, the Marshall, and try to, you know, start a new basketball league, stuff like that," he said. Kim, the third of his line to rule North Korea, is a basketball fan and appeared to get on well with Rodman on the earlier visit, with the two of them pictured laughing, eating and drinking together and watching an All-Star basketball match. Rodman drew fire for his March trip when North Korea was threatening the United States, South Korea and Japan with missile strikes. He called 30-year-old Kim, who rules unchallenged in a country where there are an estimated 150,000-200,000 prisoners in work camps, "an awesome kid".

• 2013-09-03T19:09:16+00:00
• Duration: 00:55

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