It’s almost as if North Korea’s dictatorship is using the threat of nuclear weapons to extort aid from richer countries… From Troubled Power Project Plays Role in North Korea Showdown:
Under a 1994 agreement, Pyongyang promised to halt its efforts to build nuclear weapons. In return, the U.S. agreed to help build two light-water reactors for power generation to be overseen by international inspectors — the only swap North Korea would accept. The deal also called for the U.S. and North Korea to restore full diplomatic and economic ties, a step Pyongyang saw as crucial to jump-starting its moribund economy.