Rodman, leaving North Korea, assails Obama over prisoner

HONG KONG — The former basketball star Dennis Rodman left North Korea on Saturday after visiting with the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, and unleashed an expletive-laced tirade while rejecting calls that he push for the release of an American missionary who has been detained by North Korea since late last year.

Rodman was met by reporters at the airport in Beijing after arriving from North Korea and was asked about using his influence with Kim to urge the release of the American, Kenneth Bae, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence in a labor camp after being arrested while in the country doing Christian missionary work.

“Guess what? That’s not my job to ask about Kenneth Bae,” Rodman said, according to The Associated Press. Then, referring to President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, he added, “Ask Obama about that. Ask Hillary Clinton.” Then he criticized the two with an expletive.

Rodman has developed a friendship with Kim, whose government just months ago called for the nuclear annihilation of the United States.

Rodman defended his friendship with Kim on Saturday. “He’s my friend for life,” he said. “I don’t care what you guys think about him,” emphasizing his point with an expletive. U.S. officials have been working recently to obtain the release of Bae as tensions have eased between the countries.