In the second high-profile visit to the country by US citizens this year, former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman has followed in the footsteps of Google chairman Eric Schmidt by landing in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. Accompanied by current teammates from the Harlem Globetrotters and a documentary film crew from oft-incendiary Vice Productions, Rodman is visiting the shadowy pariah state to engage in what has been labelled ‘basketball diplomacy’.
Known as much for his flamboyant appearance and off-court excess as for his undeniable sporting prowess, Rodman seems an unlikely ambassador in a state where both behaviour and appearance remain stringently regulated. Nonetheless, according to Shane Smith, founder of the Vice group who is accompanying the star on his visit, Rodman’s presence in the country is beneficial at a time when North Korea – US relations are under significant strain, stating that ‘it’s important to keep lines of cultural communication open, no matter how non-traditional those channels may be’. The agenda for the trip includes a visit to a children’s sports camp and competition with top North Korean players at an exhibition match at which it is hoped leader Kim Jong-un will attend.
Rodman’s presence in the country is beneficial at a time when North Korea – US relations are under significant strain, stating that ‘it’s important to keep lines of cultural communication open, no matter how non-traditional those channels may be’
Earlier in the year, US officials criticised the timing of Google chairman Eric Schmidt’s trip to Pyongyang in the wake of an internationally condemned satellite launch. So far no official statement has been made pertaining to this latest visit, although in an agreement between Washington and Pyongyang made last year but since made redundant by North Korean launches, US officials agreed to increased people-to-people exchange with a focus on the areas of education, culture, and sport.
In addition to football, basketball enjoys significant popularity in North Korea, and represents a rare concession to overseas culture. Indeed, Kim Jong-un himself is said to have been an avid follower of Rodman’s one-time team mate Michael Jordan in the 1990s when the two played together for the Chicago Bulls.
by Sam Jones
