From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ri Myung Hun (born September 14, 1967) was a center with the national basketball team of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He was also known as Michael Ri, after his favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan. Once declared the tallest living human being in the world, he stands 7'8" (2.34m) tall and was planning to play in the NBA in the 1990s (He has since been replaced by Bao Xishun of China, who stands 7'8.95" (2.36m) as the tallest living person according to Guinness Book of World Records). In anticipation of joining the NBA, Ri briefly moved to Canada to undergo training. But he failed because of the U.S. ban on trade with North Korea, which is set forth in a piece of legislation called the Trading With the Enemy Act. Eventually, Ri said he was content to remain playing basketball in the "bosom" of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il. In a game between North Korea and South Korea, Ri scored 26 points in 21 minutes, or 1.24 points every minute[citation needed].
