Idle Speculation on the DPRK's Change Of Nuclear Strategy

Yesterday, the UN announced that they would be auditing all sorts of UN development programs, especially the one that was turning over hard cash to Pyongyang. So that important source of cash development money looks to be drying up for them.

Today, at the six-party talks, North Korea says it's willing to shelve its nuclear ambitions and submit to IAEA inspectors. They're willing to do so in exchange for the commencement of bilateral talks with the US, economic assistance, and unfreezing a (Dr. Evil pinky to mouth) $24 million account.

All of this is pretty sketchy at this point, and nothing may come of these negotiations. I'll be really pleased about this when the DPRK WMD arsenal is sitting beside Khaddafy's in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. But I have to ask: did the DPRK make this move because it knew the U.N.D.P. cash-teat might be drying up? Did diplomatic (or even journalistic) pressure on the U.N. ultimately force the Norks to this desperate pass?

I don't know, and I suspect that the people who do know will never be allowed to say. Still, I imagine this looming liquidity crisis was a factor in the DPRK's decision to at least some small degree.

PS: The six-party talks the Left wanted us to abandon in favor of bilateral negotiations. Where did I hear that one?
More at this informative post by Texas Rainmaker.

H/T to Beta-male.