Rodman: I'm going on vacation with Kim in August
By CNN Staff
March 12, 2013 -- Updated 1322 GMT (2122 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: Spokesman says Rodman was invited to return during his February trip
- Rodman was known for rebounding and colorful hairstyles
- He visited North Korea in February, made friends with Kim Jong Un
- He says the supreme leader doesn't want to go to war
(CNN) -- NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman plans to return to North Korea in August, CNN affiliate KXJB reported Monday.
Rodman, who recently visited the communist nation, said he plans to vacation with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"I don't condone what he does, but he's my friend," Rodman told KXJB while in Fargo, North Dakota, for a promotional appearance.
Rodman, who was giddy throughout the interview, insisted the North Korean leader doesn't want war.
Opinion: Don't be fooled by Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea
Rodman: I'm going back to North Korea
Rodman: Diplomat or naive?
Rodman's bizarre trip to North Korea
A spokesman for Rodman said Kim extended the offer during Rodman's visit a few weeks ago.
Rodman and Kim sat next to each other February 28, watching an unusual basketball exhibition in Pyongyang, North Korea.
The visit came at a time of heightened tension between the United States and North Korea, a result of Pyongyang's pursuit of a nuclear program.
Rodman and Kim: Friends for life?
Kim has made it clear that his country's nuclear test in February signals a new phase of confrontation with the United States, which Pyongyang has described as "the sworn enemy of the Korean people."
On Monday, the North Korean military scrapped the Korean War armistice agreement, according to Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party.
Pyongyang scraps armistice amid heightened saber rattling
Kim is known to be a big basketball fan and one of his favorite players was Chicago Bulls legend, and Rodman teammate, Michael Jordan.
Rodman, 51, was one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history, ranking 11th all-time in average rebounds per game.
The defensive star helped the Detroit Pistons and Bulls win five NBA championships.
The flamboyant Rodman frequently dyed his hair (sometimes many colors), sported multiple tattoos and facial piercings. One of his autobiographies is "I Should Be Dead By Now."
5 ways North Korea keeps getting stranger
Part of complete coverage on
Follow all of our coverage about the key issues unfolding inside North Korea and how it affects you.
May 14, 2013 -- Updated 1330 GMT (2130 HKT)
Myanmar was once a pariah, but it has surprised almost everyone by becoming a Western investor's dream. Can North Korea follow?
May 14, 2013 -- Updated 1129 GMT (1929 HKT)
Abandoned by her parents, Yoon Hee lived on the streets of North Korea for years, surviving on grass and the mercy of others.
May 10, 2013 -- Updated 2045 GMT (0445 HKT)
A defector shares the horrific experience of being born to a "total control zone", where guards beat children to death with no hesitation.
May 7, 2013 -- Updated 2253 GMT (0653 HKT)
Chinese war veteran Duan Keke defended North Korea during the Korean War. Now he believes China will prevent another war.
April 14, 2013 -- Updated 2142 GMT (0542 HKT)
When she was growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee thought her country was normal -- even though she saw her first public execution at 7.
April 16, 2013 -- Updated 0639 GMT (1439 HKT)
CNN's Kyung Lah examines the reign of Kim Jong Un and notes its similarities to his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
Check out a map of the known conventional weaponry in North Korea's arsenal and their estimated strike ranges.
February 12, 2013 -- Updated 1422 GMT (2222 HKT)
Experts say Pyongyang is moving forward to developing a nuclear warhead and a deliverable missiles. Question remains: How close is it?
April 11, 2013 -- Updated 0634 GMT (1434 HKT)
Here's a look at Kim's escalating rhetoric and his country's actions since he came to power after his father's death in 2011.
More than two dozen countries have nuclear power, but only a few have nuclear weapons or are suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons.
March 11, 2013 -- Updated 0455 GMT (1255 HKT)
The war never really ended -- leaving the peninsula splintered in 1953, killing more than two millions and drawing the alliances that exist today.
April 5, 2013 -- Updated 0107 GMT (0907 HKT)
Why are we so fearful and fascinated by North Korea? Here's a round-up of what you had to say on social media.
March 28, 2013 -- Updated 0925 GMT (1725 HKT)
Kim Jong Un is still an "unknown quantity." Is his behavior erratic or staged? Is he competent enough to run the North Korean government?
Today's five most popular stories
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|