Former U.S. professional basketball star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea on Tuesday, bringing his "basketball diplomacy" back to the country amid heightened tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over the reclusive nation's nuclear and missile program and its jailing of four Americans.
"I'm back! I will discuss my mission upon my return to the USA," Rodman said in a tweet Tuesday, with an attached photo that showed him holding what appeared to be an itinerary for a flight on Air Koryo — the North's state-owned flagship airline.
Speculation was rife that Rodman would play some unofficial role easing tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, though a top U.S. official visiting Tokyo insisted Rodman's trip was as a private citizen.