North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's supporter Dennis Rodman, a former basketball star who has been facing severe condemnation for his visits to the nation, has checked himself into an alcohol-rehab facility, US media reported.
Rodman is said to have increased his level of drinking to an unprecedented level after his return from North Korea.
"He has been in rehab most of this week, and I am very proud of him," Rodman's agent, Darren Prince told CNN.
"His drinking escalated to a level that none of us had seen before. When he came back, I discussed with him on a personal level how concerned I was. We sat down and decided for him to go to rehab. It is a 28 or 30 day facility."
The 52-year-old former NBA player, known best his notorious behaviour, returned recently from a much-talked-about visit to the world's most reclusive nation.
The star had earlier said in the month that the reason why he appeared abusive while being interviewed by CNN during his visit to Pyongyang was because he had been drinking during that time. (Read the story)
Rodman lost his cool and began abusively ranting during the interview which saw him making unreasonable remarks about an American detained in North Korea, Kenneth Bae. He was criticised for hinting that the American deserved to be kept in North Korean prison. (Read the story)
Rodman has often come under staunch criticism, for reiterating time and again that the North Korea leader is his "friend for life" and that he would avoid mixing politics with his "Basketball Diplomacy".
He led a team of former NBA players in a game in North Korea, which he touted as a birthday present to dictator Kim Jong-un. In what has been widely termed as a bizarre moment, he was later seen singing "Happy Birthday" inside a packed sports stadium.
No sooner had he left North Korea after the basketball match than reporters from all spears barraged him with questions on his visits. Rodman broke into tears while answering questions to a mass of reporters at the Beijing airport.
"I'm not the president, I am not an ambassador. I am Dennis Rodman," he told the reporters.
"I'm sorry for what's going on in North Korea, the certain situation," he added. He extended no apology for his visit to the country.
