I went back to see what Barack Obama had said about dealing with North Korea in the past. Back in October 2008:

“The last eight years have demonstrated the necessity of confronting the threat from North Korea through aggressive, sustained, and direct bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Too often, there has been a failure to effectively engage our partners throughout this effort. We must dramatically improve coordination with our allies Japan and South Korea, as well as with China and Russia, particularly as we ensure that any agreement reached on verification is fully implemented.
“If North Korea refuses to permit robust verification, we should lead all members of the Six Party talks in suspending energy assistance, re-imposing sanctions that have recently been waived, and considering new restrictions. Our objective remains the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs. This must include getting clarity on North Korea’s efforts to enrich uranium and its proliferation of nuclear technology abroad.
“Looking ahead, North Korea must also resolve all questions about the abduction of Japanese and South Korean citizens, and of the Reverend Kim Dong-Shik. I urge the Bush Administration to continue to use our diplomatic and economic leverage to press North Korea to cooperate fully with Tokyo, Seoul and Washington on these matters.
“The Six Party Talks offer North Korea a clear choice. If North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons programs, there will be meaningful incentives. If it refuses, it faces a future of political and economic isolation,” said Senator Barack Obama.

Well, North Korea is pretty darn politically and economically isolated, and the regime doesn’t seem to care much. Obama has had his chance to practice his “aggressive, sustained, and direct bilateral and multilateral diplomacy,” and we’re seeing every bit as much aggression and provocation from Pyongyang as before, and in fact more. Perhaps it wasn’t the fault of President Bush being insufficiently multilateral. Maybe the North Korean regime is aggressive, paranoid, and insane, and outreach gestures and offers of “meaningful incentives” are useless in dealing with a regime of this nature. I seem to recall quite a few folks arguing this back in 2008.