Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BEIJING (AP) - Former basketball star Dennis Rodman left North Korea on Monday without answering questions from the media on whether he had met with leader Kim Jong Un.
The two struck up a friendship when Rodman first traveled to the secretive state earlier this year.
Rodman declined to answer questions from reporters on his arrival at Beijing's airport if the two met on his latest visit.
On Sunday night, he told The Associated Press that he had not yet had a meeting with Kim. He arrived in North Korea on Thursday, a week after North Korea announced the execution of Kim's once-powerful uncle, sparking speculation by foreign analysts over the future of the Kim regime.
Rodman's short visit was aimed at finalizing plans to bring 12 ex-NBA players to Pyongyang for a Jan. 8 exhibition game marking Kim's birthday.
Rodman is the highest profile American to meet Kim since the leader inherited power from his father in late 2011.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
