Rodman tells Kim Jong Un he has 'friend for life'
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman met North Korea's Kim Jong Un on Thursday on the third day of his improbable journey to Pyongyang, telling the leader "You have a friend for life," a delegation spokesman said.
Rodman and Kim sat side by side at an exhibition game in Pyongyang, chatting as they watched players from North Korea and the U.S. play on mixed teams, Alex Detrick, a spokesman for the New York-based VICE media company, told The Associated Press.
Kim, a diehard basketball fan, told Rodman he hoped the visit would break the ice between the United States and North Korea, Detrick said. Kim later invited the Americans to dinner.
The encounter makes Rodman the most high-profile American to meet with the young North Korean leader since Kim took power in December 2011, and takes place against a backdrop of tension between Washington and Pyongyang.
North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test just two weeks ago, making clear the provocative act was aimed at sending a warning to the United States to drop what it considers a "hostile" policy toward the North. The two countries fought each other during the Korean War, and do not have diplomatic relations.
Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on Monday with three members of the professional Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, VICE correspondent Ryan Duffy and a VICE production crew to shoot a documentary for a new HBO TV series.
The surprise visit by the flamboyant Hall of Famer known as "The Worm" makes him an unlikely ambassador at a time when North Koreans are girding for battle with the U.S. Just last week, Kim guided frontline troops in military exercises.
The Korean War ended in a truce in 1953, and the two foes never signed a peace treaty.
Thursday's game in a packed gymnasium ended in a 110-110 draw, with two Americans playing on each team alongside North Koreans, Detrick said.
After the game, Rodman addressed Kim in a speech before a crowd of tens of thousands of North Koreans, telling him, "You have a friend for life," Detrick said.
The leader later plied the group with liquor, according to VICE TV producer Jason Mojica.
"Um ... so Kim Jong Un just got the (hash)VICEonHBO crew wasted ... no really, that happened," Mojica wrote on his Twitter feed from Pyongyang.
Duffy later invited Kim to visit the United States, a proposal met with hearty laughter from the North Korean leader, Detrick said.
Rodman and Kim sat side by side at an exhibition game in Pyongyang, chatting as they watched players from North Korea and the U.S. play on mixed teams, Alex Detrick, a spokesman for the New York-based VICE media company, told The Associated Press.
Kim, a diehard basketball fan, told Rodman he hoped the visit would break the ice between the United States and North Korea, Detrick said. Kim later invited the Americans to dinner.
The encounter makes Rodman the most high-profile American to meet with the young North Korean leader since Kim took power in December 2011, and takes place against a backdrop of tension between Washington and Pyongyang.
North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test just two weeks ago, making clear the provocative act was aimed at sending a warning to the United States to drop what it considers a "hostile" policy toward the North. The two countries fought each other during the Korean War, and do not have diplomatic relations.
Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on Monday with three members of the professional Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, VICE correspondent Ryan Duffy and a VICE production crew to shoot a documentary for a new HBO TV series.
The surprise visit by the flamboyant Hall of Famer known as "The Worm" makes him an unlikely ambassador at a time when North Koreans are girding for battle with the U.S. Just last week, Kim guided frontline troops in military exercises.
The Korean War ended in a truce in 1953, and the two foes never signed a peace treaty.
Thursday's game in a packed gymnasium ended in a 110-110 draw, with two Americans playing on each team alongside North Koreans, Detrick said.
After the game, Rodman addressed Kim in a speech before a crowd of tens of thousands of North Koreans, telling him, "You have a friend for life," Detrick said.
The leader later plied the group with liquor, according to VICE TV producer Jason Mojica.
"Um ... so Kim Jong Un just got the (hash)VICEonHBO crew wasted ... no really, that happened," Mojica wrote on his Twitter feed from Pyongyang.
Duffy later invited Kim to visit the United States, a proposal met with hearty laughter from the North Korean leader, Detrick said.
Rodman has always been an idiot, and this just proves it! He ought to be committed to a mental hospital for LIFE!
Ever notice how many movie stars and other celebrities love communist leaders and advocate their political system. But when it comes to making money they come back here to get the good old American greenbacks.......D R Must be a member of the Sean Penn "I love looney leaders" club
heUglyTruth You sir are a mental midget. Do you even no what communism is? I am sure you are one of those devout FOX worshipors with the President is a communist theory. Infact he is one of the biggest capitalists on the planet. He was supporrted and elected by Goldman Sachs in 08 and had plenty of corporate contribution in 2012. You should get a grasp on reality before making mindless statements you heard on FOX and regurgitated at every oppurtunity.
@Oglethorpe "You sir are a mental midget. Do you even no what communism is?"
LMAO!!! Funniest comment of the day!
i hear him and travolta were extremely good freinds *wink*
North Korea can keep him there since they are such great friends.
Way to go worm. Keep confirming what the rest of us have known for years......
You are a clueless freak that has no idea what's going on, anywhere.
Keep toking worm.
@Rob C 503Â Dennis Rodman is freaking awesome. He's a braver man than you'll ever be.
@browntown @Rob C 503  Especially in drag.
You know, it was just last week when "L'il Kim" and I were getting our mani-pedis and suckin back PinkBerries together when I took his hand and professed my ultimate friendship to him. Then we went back to his compound, watched Re-runs of "Dancing With The Stars", melted a little green army men in the microwave and sang the Star Spangled Banner backwards!!
http://youtu.be/uqxVJJqFJfg
Please, it's not North or South, or Korean or Chinese, or Pakistani, or Russians that I hold contempt for; it's communist Dictators, or any Dictator for that matter, that I hold contempt for.
Man Dennis, why you gotta be like that. He'd light you up so bright, you'd glow for a thousand years. Then again, that sounds like it would be your sort of thing.
Oh boy, the world is safe now. North Korea has a friend for life in Dennis Rodman.  Hip, hip . . . .  whatever.
Keep him there. It might make the USA streets safer anyway.
What the fudge? A friend for life? Idiot.
Does anyone actually think it's funny when American celebrities cozy up to dictators who starve their people and threaten war against us? Maybe the worm would like to move to the DPRK permanently.
@James Gnau Maybe he's doing a good thing. Ultimately, this type of soft diplomacy will open up a nation like NK. The only other options are 1. to do nothing and perpetuate the status quo or 2. blow it all up. Neither leads down a good path.
Freaks love freaks.
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@TheUglyTruth Washington loves communism which is why they give billions to Corporations while crying about thousands given to the elderly lady down the street - got it.