로드먼, 케네스 배 발언 사과…"술 마시고 인터뷰"

(출처-연합뉴스)

방북 중인 미국프로농구(NBA) 출신 스타 데니스 로드먼(52)이 한국계 미국인 케네스 배에게 북한 억류의 책임이 있다는 취지로 언급했던 것을 사과했다.

로드먼은 9일 홍보담당자 쥘 파일러를 통해 AP 통신에 보낸 이메일에서 "나의 행동에 완전한 책임을 느낀다. 매우 스트레스가 심한 날이었고 (인터뷰 이전에) 술을 마셨다"면서 "케네스 배의 가족에게 먼저 사과하고 싶다"고 밝혔다.

또 "많은 사람을 당혹스럽게 했다"면서 "정말 미안하다"고 덧붙였다.

로드먼은 방북 다음날인 7일 미국 CNN 시사프로그램인 '뉴데이'에 출연해 케네스 배가 잘못을 해서 북한에 억류됐다는 식의 주장을 펼치며 앵커와 생방송에서 설전을 벌였다.

이날 로드먼의 일행 일부는 베이징으로 돌아왔다.

전직 NBA 선수 에릭 플로이드로 추정되는 한 남성이 이날 오전 고려항공편을 이용해 베이징 서우두(首都) 공항에 도착했다.

그는 수십 명의 기자로부터 질문공세를 받았지만, 점퍼로 얼굴을 가린 채 시종일관 묵묵부답으로 일관했다.

이날 귀국길에 오를 것으로 점쳐졌던 로드먼은 1∼2일 정도 더 북한에 더 머물 것으로 전망된다. 평양에서 돌아온 한 외국인 관광객은 로드먼 일행이 스키를 타러 간다는 말을 들었다고 전했다.

미국에서는 로드먼의 행보에 대한 날선 비판이 이어지고 있다.

8차례 방북해 억류된 미국인 석방에 힘썼던 빌 리처드슨 전 미국 뉴멕시코 주지사는 로드먼의 CNN 인터뷰에 대해 "실망스럽다"면서 "케네스 배에게는 범죄 혐의가 없다. 로드먼이 선을 넘은 것"이라고 비난했다.

워싱턴포스트의 칼럼니스트 알렉산드라 페트리도 8일자 칼럼에서 "이건 재밌는 게 아니라 미친 짓"이라며 "로드먼의 방북은 끔찍한 북한 정권을 좋게 홍보하는 것에 불과하다"고 비판했다.

폭스뉴스는 로드먼의 정신분석까지 하며 대놓고 조롱했다. 정신과 의사 키스 애블로는 칼럼을 통해 "로드먼은 그를 기분 좋게 해주는 건 뭐든지 좋아할 만한 사람"이라고 깎아내렸다.

한편, NBC 방송은 김 국방위원회 제1위원장의 생일이었던 8일 평양에서 열린 친선 농구경기 당시 외국인 여행자들도 경기를 관람했지만 사진 촬영은 허락되지 않았다고 보도했다.

AP 통신의 동영상 서비스인 APTN 역시 경기장에 나온 김 위원장 촬영은 허가 받지 못했다.

로드먼은 지난 6일 김정은의 생일을 축하하는 농구경기를 열기 위해 플로이드를 비롯해 케니 앤더슨, 클리프 로빈슨, 빈 베이커 등 6명의 전직 NBA 선수들을 이끌고 방북했다. (연합뉴스)

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Rodman under fire for N.K. trip

Retired U.S. basketball star Dennis Rodman has drawn the ire of human rights activists and some of his fellow professionals by singing “Happy Birthday” to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday.

Rodman reportedly visited a multimillion-dollar North Korean ski resort, which is one of Kim’s showcase projects, on Thursday.

Rodman led a chorus of North Koreans singing the song to the leader before leading a squad of former NBA stars in a friendly game that Kim attended with his young wife.

Rodman’s third trip to North Korea has drawn criticism from human rights activists and the family of imprisoned U.S. missionary Kenneth Bae after Rodman appeared to suggest in an interview with CNN peppered with obscenities that Bae, rather than the North Korean authorities, was responsible for his incarceration.

Bae’s sister, Terri Chung, said her family was outraged by Rodman’s comments and he should use his access to the North Korean leader to advocate on Bae’s behalf, rather than “hurl outrageous accusations” at her brother.

“He is playing games with my brother’s life,” Chung said in a statement.

“He is clearly uninformed about Kenneth’s case, and he is certainly not in any position to pass judgment,” Chung said, adding that Bae never had hostile intentions against the state.

Dennis Rodman apologized Thursday for comments about Bae.

Rodman issued the apology through publicist Jules Feiler in an email message to The Associated Press.

“I want to apologize,” Rodman said.

“I take full responsibility for my actions. It had been a very stressful day. Some of my teammates were leaving because of pressure from their families and business associates. My dreams of basketball diplomacy was quickly falling apart. I had been drinking. It’s not an excuse but by the time the interview happened I was upset. I was overwhelmed. It’s not an excuse, it’s just the truth,” he said through publicist Jules Feiler in an email message to The Associated Press.

“I want to first apologize to Kenneth Bae’s family. I want to apologize to my teammates and my management team. I also want to apologize to Chris Cuomo. I embarrassed a lot of people. I’m very sorry. At this point I should know better than to make political statements. I’m truly sorry.”

The U.S. State Department distanced itself from Rodman and said it did not want to “dignify” his activities or comments in Pyongyang by commenting on them. But spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the department was open to speaking with Rodman on his return.

“We have not reached out to him. We’ve said before, if he wants to reach out to us, we’re happy to hear from him and what he has to say,” she told reporters.

Rodman dedicated the game to his “best friend” Kim, who along with his wife and other senior officials and their wives watched from a special seating area. The capacity crowd of about 14,000 at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium clapped loudly as Rodman sang a verse from the birthday song.

Rodman said he was honored to be able to play the game in the North Korean capital and called the event “historic.” Some members of the U.S. Congress, the NBA and human rights groups, however, say he has become a public relations tool for North Korea’s government.

The government’s poor human rights record and its threats to use nuclear weapons against rival South Korea and the United States have kept it a pariah state. Kim shocked the world in December by having his uncle, once considered his mentor, executed after being accused of a litany of crimes including corruption, womanizing, drug abuse and attempting to seize power.

The 52-year-old Rodman has refused to address those concerns while continuing to forge a relationship with Kim, whose age has never been officially disclosed. The government did not say how old he turned Wednesday but he is believed to be in his early 30s.

Rodman is the highest-profile American to meet Kim. He has carefully avoided getting involved in overtly political activities, saying that he is not a statesman and instead is seeking only to build cultural connections with the North through basketball, which may help improve relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

(From news reports)