Dennis Rodman’s North Korea trips brought scorn and ridicule but he deserves credit
- Koryo Tours’ Simon Cockerell recalls when he watched NBA star serenade North Korean leader – and then help him propose
- Rodman’s much criticised and often bizarre trips to the ‘Hermit Kingdom’ started off as a joke but he achieved more than most
Simon Cockerell, general manger of Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which has taken thousands of visitors into North Korea since 1993, was there the night of Rodman’s infamous birthday song to Kim Jong-un.
“We had exclusive rights to take in visitors to that game and we were using that to raise money for the deaf school in Pyongyang. We only got permission to go at the last minute. We had prior permission but we only got the final confirmation an hour and a half – two hours before the game itself.
“I was there with about 20 tourists. We had to dress up nicely, couldn’t take in any phones, any wallets or cameras or anything. In North Korea, even though no one will say it, that’s always a sign that their highest leader will be present. If it is anyone else they don’t really care that much, if it is Kim Jong-un they do.”
Cockerell got closer to Kim’s special guest than most, on the way into the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.
“I ran into Dennis, who I had met a number of times by then. He was on good form, carrying a drink and was pretty pleased with himself for having set this whole thing up.