Former NBA star and unlikely diplomat Dennis Rodman brought back a message from Kim Jong-Un saying that the North Korean leader wants US President Barack Obama to “call him”.
Rodman appeared on ABC’s “This Week” program on Sunday after arriving from an improbable visit to the reclusive state, where he watched a basketball game beside Kim, an avid fan of the sport, Reuters reports. The pair shared a few good laughs and had a good time, according to sources.
“He loves basketball. And I said the same thing. I said, ‘Obama loves basketball.’ Let’s start there,” Rodman said. “He wants Obama to do one thing – call him.”
Rodman also said the young leader told him, “I don’t want to do war. I don’t want to do war.” He also described Kim as an “awesome” and “very humble” man who “loves power, he loves control.”
The US government disavowed any connection to Rodman’s trip at the height of tensions following the North’s nuclear test. Pyongyang has threatened to target the US for what it believes is its “hostile” policy toward the isolated nation.
A spokesman for the White House National Security Council said Washington already has communication channels with North Korea.
“We have urged the North Korean leadership to heed President Obama’s call to choose the path of peace and come into compliance with its international obligations,” Caitlyn Hayden said.
