U.S. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley says North Korea will test the new U.S. government by trying to break the six-way nuclear talks.

Hadley said Wednesday that when the North’s efforts to split the negotiations fail, Pyongyang will have no choice but to accept a verification agreement for its nuclear programs. He said the agreement would enable other members of the six-way nuclear talks to verify the North’s nuclear disablement, leading to the dismantlement of Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities. Hadley stressed that without this verification agreement, there can be no progress.

Hadley was speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Meanwhile, the State Department said in a news briefing that the North’s nuclear standoff is an issue that will be left to the new administration to rectify.

The department stressed the need for the North’s nuclear verification, saying the ball is in the North’s court.