Rodman claims he saw Jang alive after execution

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Thu, December 7, 2023 | 12:38

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Rodman claims he saw Jang alive after execution

로드먼 "마지막 방북때 장성택 생존" 주장

Posted : 2014-05-06 16:34

Updated : 2014-05-06 16:34

In another striking event, former NBA star Dennis Rodman said he saw Jang Song-thaek, once the second man in North Korea, alive despite his alleged execution in December.

Rodman has established an interesting relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and has visited the hermit kingdom, once for an exhibition basketball game between former NBA players and a North Korean team.

But in an interview with a fashion magazine, Rodman said when he visited North Korea in January for Kim Jong-un's birthday, Jang was actually standing behind him.

Asked if he was certain that a man who was supposedly executed was in sight very much alive, Rodman said, "He was standing there."

On the basketball game, Rodman said North Korea offered $35,000 each but he had no idea cameras were going to be on them 24 hours a day.

로드먼 "마지막 방북때 장성택 생존" 주장

지난 1월 북한을 다녀온 전직 미국프로농구(NBA) 선수 데니스 로드먼이 자신의 방북 때 장성택 전 북한 국방위원회 부위원장을 봤다고 주장했다.

지난해 12월 북한 조선중앙통신은 김정은 북한 국방위원회 제1위원장의 고모부인 장성택에게 사형을 선고하고 즉시 집행했다고 보도했다.

로드먼은 5일(현지시간) 공개된 패션문화잡지 '두 주르' 5월호와의 인터뷰에서 '마지막으로 내가 (북한에) 갔을 때, 그(김정은 제1위원장)의 여자친구를 처형했다, 그의 고모부를 처형했다고 말할 때 그들은 내 바로 뒤에 서 있었다'고 말했다.

이에 질문자가 '북한에서 처형했다고 발표한 고모부가 실제로 살아있었다는 말이냐'고 묻자 로드먼은 '그가 거기 있었다'고 답했다.

로드먼은 장성택과 관련해 더 이상 말을 잇지 않았고, '두 주르'의 질문자도 다른 화제로 넘어갔다.

함께 방북했던 전직 농구선수들 중 일부가 로드먼 측에서 방북 관련 일정을 '잘못 알렸다'고 주장한데 대해 로드먼은 '헛소리'라고 되풀이해 답한 뒤 '그들은 알고 있었다'고 답했다.

이에 질문자가 '당신이 '김정은 생일이다. 사흘 동안 3만5천 달러를 주겠다. 가겠나' 라고 말했을 때 그들(다른 농구선수들) 모두가 알았다고 대답했다는 말이냐'라고 묻자 로드먼은 '그렇다. 그들은 카메라가 24시간 가동되는줄 몰랐다'고 말했다.

jayshim@ktimes.co.kr

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