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I think you're confusing "diplomatic upmanship" with "blackmail". Morally, there's not much difference. In practice, the "blackmail" is a common diplomatic tool.

It's actually based on staying in power at all costs. They will remain in power until they've lost the last drop of blood from their peasants and soldiers.

A major reason is because they can't trade effectively with anybody. Not even China. Their economy is as bankrupt as their regime's morality.

All it'll take to topple the regime is for one of the generals to decide that the troops are "too tired" to leave their barracks to suppress rebellion.

The people have been at war for 50 years. Most don't know what peace is. The country's been incommunicado for about the same time. They have little concept of life outside their prison. The population is in survival mode... they will do *anything* if they think that it'll let them live another day.

It's a very unstable situation. I have grave doubts about the security of their arsenal; and their ability to stop the lunatics from nuking the peninsula.

The other kids on the block don't want to play that game any more. So DPRK has taken to "bullying" by brandishing a big stick.

SLORC, effectively still the military junta, is still running the country; much of it concerned with producing illicit drugs.

Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won the vast majority of votes in the 1990's, has been prevented from taking office for about 15 years.

Oh yeah... they were called in front of the Security Council for an "informat chat" late last year, IIRC. -- "Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia ASCII ribbon campaign "Laws do not persuade just because X against HTML mail they threaten." and postings Lucius Annaeus Seneca, c. 4BC - 65AD.