Dennis Rodman Returning to North Korea, Kim Jong-Un: Nuclear War Threats Won't Hinder Basketball Star's Diplomacy Tour
Dennis Rodman is ready to head back to North Korea. After being fired from "Celebrity All Star Apprentice" last week, it looks like the former Chicago Bull is planning a new diplomacy tour. His first visit to the country ended in an odd friendship between him and Kim Jong-un, so this time it seems that Rodman is setting up a visit to "have some fun!"
According to an interview with The Miami Herald, the oddball basketball star is set on returning to the isolated country. "I'm going back August 1st," Rodman said. "We have no plans really, as far as what we're going to do over there, but we'll just hang and have some fun!"
Rodman is also apparently trying to meet with President Barack Obama to talk about his time with the North Korean dictator. The basketball hall of famer even said that the Soviets during the Cold War were much worse than what Kim Jong-un is up to, saying, "The Russians were way out there, and they were acting on their threats. He just wants to be loved. He just wants to sit down and talk. That's all."
Rodman's previous trip to North Korea was orchestrated by the media company Vice. Along with the former Chicago Bull, two Harlem Globetrotters were sent to the country for a documentary series. Shane Smith, CEO and co-founder of Vice, reportedly became "very worried" for the crew when Rodman seemingly sparked a friendship with Kim Jong-Un.
"We just wanted to get in to have sort of unparalleled access to the regime and show the regime - especially at a time when tensions are so heightened," said Smith. "If there could be some diplomacy, if there could be some dialogue, we always believe it's a good thing. ... And was Rodman outrageous when he got out of North Korea? Quite frankly, and I don't know him very well at all, but was he a bit confused and was he a bit baffled? Probably."