[MonroeDNA]

What better time to blackmail the US than now?

When we are not about to start a war with someone else?

[maquiladora]

That may be what the NK's are thinking, but on the other hand wouldn't it be better for them to bring all this up at a time when there are no crisis/conflicts on the horizon and the US has nothing to worry about only NK?
Right now, the NK issue is playing second fiddle to Iraq.

[riri]

I agree with your assessments, however you have left out one very important variable (IMO). The dying and desperate regime will be selling whatever they can to whoever has the cold, hard cash. So, what are we to do about that? Can we afford to let them proliferate to their hearts content?

[SuziQ]

What better time to blackmail the US than now?
When we are not about to start a war with someone else?

The timing does seem a bit coincidental, doesn't it? Except that I don't believe in coincidences! Wasn't N. Korea part of that Axis of Evil the President spoke about after 9/11?