Page 36 - DESPA

A27
CLASSIFIED Friday 16 June 2017
Rodman gives Kim ‘The Art of the Deal’

Birthday” to Kim and sug-
gested an American mis-
sionary was at fault for his
own imprisonment in North
Korea, remarks for which
he later apologized.
But the sports minister
made clear Rodman is
viewed fondly in Pyong-
yang.
“In the past, our respected
supreme leader met you
several times and he used
his precious time to watch
the basketball match with
Former NBA basketball star Dennis Rodman presents a book the players you brought
titled “Trump The Art of the Deal” to North Korea’s Sports Minister
Kim Il Guk Thursday, June 15, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. here. In the past he met
(AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon) you, so our people all
know you well,” Kim Il Guk
By ERIC TALMADGE including judo gold medal- told Rodman. “And also
Associated Press ist An Kum Ae. we feel that you are an old
PYONGYANG, North Korea “All of you guys should be friend.”
(AP) — Dennis Rodman has proud of yourselves, be- NO ROLE IN STUDENT’S RE-
delivered a message from cause, you know, a lot LEASE
President Donald Trump to of people don’t give you Rodman’s arrival on Tues-
North Korea — sort of. guys credit, because this is day came just hours after
On Thursday, the former such a small country, and the North decided to re-
NBA player gave the coun- not many people from lease Otto Warmbier, an
try’s sports minister a copy North Korea can compete American university stu-
of Trump’s book “The Art around the world,” Rod- dent who had been impris-
of the Deal,” a present in- man said. oned for 15 years with hard
tended for North Korean He continued: “But for you labor for trying to steal a
leader Kim Jong Un. guys to come back here in propaganda banner.
It wasn’t signed by Trump, your country, with a med- Warmbier, who had been
who was Rodman’s boss al, that says a lot about confined for 17 months,
for two seasons of the “Ce- North Korea, because has apparently fallen into
lebrity Apprentice” reality people don’t really take a coma not long after his
TV show. Rodman has said North Korea so seriously confinement began and
his visit has nothing to do about sports or anything Pyongyang issued a state-
with the White House. like that.” ment Thursday saying it de-
Some other highlights of “AN OLD FRIEND” cided to let him go for “hu-
what has so far been a Rodman, one of the only manitarian reasons.”
low-key Pyongyang trip for Westerners to have person- Officials in Washington and
the often flamboyant ce- ally met Kim Jong Un, has Pyongyang said Rodman
lebrity, who has visited the been criticized for a prior played no role in the re-
North four times before: trip where he sang “Happy lease. q
HANGING WITH NORTH KO-
REAN ATHLETES
While his previous visits in
2013 and 2014 often drew
controversy, Rodman has
said this week he’s just here
to meet old friends and
have a good time.
He and his small entourage
have been spending time
hanging out with young
North Korean basketball
players and visiting local
sights.He watched a North
Korean men’s basketball
team and met Sports Min-
ister Kim Il Guk. Along with
the Trump book, other
gifts he presented for Kim
Jong Un include a copy of
“Where’s Waldo? The To-
tally Essential Travel Collec-
tion,” a mermaid puzzle,
two sets of soap and two
autographed jerseys.
Rodman also met North
Korean Olympic athletes,