Top U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill says a resolution is expected to come very soon on the banking dispute with North Korea over its funds at a Macao bank.

Hill said Thursday that he is hopeful that there will be news on the issue soon, adding that Washington has been in close contact with the North during the last two days. He was speaking to reporters after testifying before Congress on the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement.

He said there has been a lot of cooperation within the U.S. government and with other members to the six-party talks, particularly Russia.

Meanwhile, the State Department stressed that the U.S. is committed to legally settling the money transfer issue.

Department spokesman Sean McCormack cited that from the start Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson had underlined the need to work within U.S. law and international financial regulations when dealing with the matter.

McCormack's statement came a day after a group of Republicans called for an investigation into whether Washington’s efforts on the money transfer were in violation of U.S. money laundering and counterfeiting laws.

McCormack reiterated that related parties are actively working for a swift resolution to the banking dispute in order to bring the North back to the six-way nuclear talks.