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          Rodman Apologizes for Comments on US Citizen Held in NKorea

   by VOA News

   Retired American basketball star Dennis Rodman, who is on a
   self-described "basketball diplomacy" trip to North Korea, has
   apologized for an incoherent, profanity-filled rant in which he
   appeared to blame a U.S. citizen for being held by Pyongyang.
   In a statement through a publicist, Rodman said Thursday he takes "full
   responsibility" for his comments, which he said "embarrassed a lot of
   people." He said it had been a "stressful day" and he had been drinking
   before the live interview with CNN.
   In the Tuesday interview, the 52-year-old Rodman seemed to imply that
   Korean-American missionary Kenneth Bae deserved the sentence of 15
   years hard labor given to him by the North. Puffing a cigar, Rodman
   asked the CNN anchor, "Do you understand what he did in this country?"
   The comments received widespread criticism by Bae's family and others.
   His mother, Myunghee Bae, told VOA she was "disappointed" by Rodman's
   comments and said he should do more to push for his release.
   "We hoped he could mention my son when he met with (North Korean
   leader) Kim Jong Un. Because Rodman himself said he was a close friend
   of Kim. I was very disappointed at his comments and I could not believe
   he could say such a thing as an American citizen," she said.
   Although Rodman has used Twitter to ask North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
   to release Bae, the eccentric former National Basketball Association
   All-Star has said he will not bring up politics during his time in the
   North.
   Rodman traveled to North Korea with a group of retired NBA players, who
   on Wednesday played a game of basketball to celebrate Mr. Kim's
   birthday, with the North Korean leader himself in attendance.
   Rodman began the festivities at the packed Pyongyang auditorium by
   singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr. Kim, the head of a government accused
   of some of the world's worst rights abuses.
   On a previous trip to Pyongyang, Rodman met personally with Mr. Kim,
   calling him a "good guy" and a "friend for life." He has defended his
   trip as an effort to "open the door" to North Korea.
   State Department and White House officials have stressed that Rodman's
   trip to the impoverished and isolated country is unhelpful and not
   sanctioned by the U.S.
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   citizen-held-in-nkorea/1826324.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/rodman-apologizes-for-comments-on-us-citizen-held-in-nkorea/1826324.html