England footie hardman Stuart Pearce off to North Korea on holidays and assures the country ‘he’s not an MI5 spy’
Ex-England defender Stuart Pearce, 56, nicknamed the Psycho for his tough tackling, will visit the country in the New Year
FOOTIE tough nut Stuart Pearce has revealed he is going to North Korea on holiday.
Pearce, 56, nicknamed Psycho for his tough tackling as a defender, will visit the country run by despot Kim Jong-un in the New Year.
The ex-England and Nottingham Forest star said: “I don’t know what I’ll see there, just whatever they allow me to see. Maybe the demilitarised zone on the border with South Korea.”
Pearce was speaking to Alan Brazil on his talkSPORT breakfast show yesterday.
The radio host asked Pearce if he would be spying for MI5 on his trip and played the James Bond theme tune.
But Pearce said: “If anyone from North Korea is listening, I will not be spying on anyone while I’m there.” North Korea is opening up to tourists and about 6,000 Westerners visit the secretive totalitarian state each year.
But Pearce can still expect strict rules. Visits are conducted via guided tours, while interaction with locals and photography is restricted by “state assistants”.
The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel.
Pearce follows in the footsteps of US basketball legend Dennis Rodman, 51, who palled up with Kim during a 2013 visit.
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