Tuesday 24 December 2013

Dennis Rodman leaves North Korea without meeting Kim Jong Un

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman plays one-on-one with a North Korean player during a basketball practice session in Pyongyang, North Korea, on December 20. During the session, Rodman selected the members of the North Korean team who will play in Pyongyang against visiting NBA stars on January 8, 2014, the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In his latest round of "<a href='http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/world/asia/north-korea-rodman-kim-daughter/index.html'>basketball diplomacy</a>," Rodman made his third visit to North Korea, one of the world's most totalitarian nations.
Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman left North Korea without meeting the country's leader Kim Jong Un but praised the local basketball players he trained there.

"They are awesome," Rodman told CNN while in transit at Beijing Capital International Airport on Monday.

Rodman started his third visit to North Korea last week, spending four days in the isolated nation to assist setting up an exhibition game featuring North Korean players and a dozen NBA veteran players whose identities have not yet been announced. The friendly game is planned for Kim Jong Un's birthday on January 8.

Rodman's latest round of "basketball diplomacy" came less than a week after North Korea announced the dramatic purge and execution of Kim's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, North Korea's No. 2 leader.
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