"Diplomacy"? Let's face it, the "Worm" is more of a dip #$%! than a diplomat, but he's not a bad guy. Misguided? Yes, but basically harmless. His impact on world affairs and the balance of power is minimal at best.
Rodman is trying to run overtime on his 15 minutes of fame. His act has run too long and he has become a joke that is no longer funny, but the situation in Korea was a disaster long before Dennis got there.
In 1988, I was in Seoul covering the Summer Olympics for ESPN. The tension was especially high between South and North Korea. The only reason I got the gig was because Bob Ley decided not to go. Our flight was greeted by armed soldiers. There were anti-aircraft guns on the roofs of city buildings and a military presence everywhere.
We were in South Korea for three weeks and managed to take a day trip to Panmunjom, the "truce village" on the border between north and south. It's the spot where the armistice was signed that ended the Korean War in 1953. If you ever thought there might someday be peace between the two countries, you should visit Panmunjom.
The blue building to the left is where North Korean reps and U.N. Peace Keeping officers met daily, for years since the end of the skirmish, to discuss grievances. By 1988 they still had not resolved much and very little has changed since.
By the way, and by design, the hut is directly on the border between north and south. The conference table is situated exactly over the border line and the microphone cord runs directly down the middle of the table, visually and symbolically emphasizing the dividing line and the chasm between the two sides.
It was like a scene out of "MASH". There was a facade city nearby and propaganda messages blasted through loudspeakers and echoed across the countryside. We stood right near the guard in the above picture and we were warned not to wave or smile at the North Korean guards who were across the complex. They waved at us, watched us through binoculars, and snapped photos, but waving back might provide a political photo opp that the north could use in its propaganda material. One member of our tour did wave back. Guards immediately removed him from the observation area and escorted him to our bus. They were not fooling around. The atmosphere of tension, deception and distrust spoke volumes. Still does.
I don't like that Rodman is in Korea, but he comes from a free country that allows us to be stupid. Dennis has made a career out of doing and saying stupid things. He loves the spotlight and while his visits to North Korea may startle and amuse a few Koreans and anger a lot of Americans, his political impact is zero!
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