by sending them technology, materials, or what?
We gave them money to replace what the USSR no longer could after its collapse. We were not the only superpower back in the day.
But we could have laid off and choked off their money. Bubba was worried China would backfill which would have been better since they as USSR both went short if giving them what they needed.
It's complicated as I noted.
https://www.history.com/news/north-korea-nuclear-deal-bill-clinton-agreed-framework