The news of Kenneth Bae release came this week, much to the joy of his relatives and friends. Bae, along with another American Matthew Todd Miller, are now on their way to California. The two were accused of spying North Korea and planning to set-up bases in China that will start the toppling of the East Asian republic. He was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment after being arrested in 2012. Luckily, he is free now.
However, Bae would have not gotten his freedom if not for Dennis Rodman. The retired NBA player claims that the Kenneth Bae release was made possible after a visit he made in North Korea at the start of the year. The former Chicago Bulls player visited the Asian country three times this year for an exhibition game with its national football team. The trip also included face-to-face meeting with North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un.
Rodman received flak for his visit in North Korea but according to him, he also talked to Kim Jong-un for the release of Kenneth Bae.
"No doubt, our trips helped influence Kenneth Bae's release and I'm happy he is coming home safely," Rodman told TMZ who saw the letter he sent to the despot intended for the North Korea government. A part of the letter read:
"I ask for your mercy to prisoner Kenneth Bae and would be eternally grateful for his safe return and make a big step towards bridging the gap between our two nations."
This is a surprising statement from Dennis Rodman. Shortly after his visit, he told media that Kenneth Bae was the one to blame why he was jailed in a foreign country. He later apologized for it saying he had been drinking and feeling too much pressure in organizing his North Korea tour.
According to reports, North Korea's decision to free Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller was "a bid by Pyongyang to ease pressure in connection with its human rights record."
