A U.S. think tank says North Korea could seek to conduct a second nuclear test in a bid to boost its international significance.

The National Bureau of Asian Research made the assessment in a recent report titled, “Shock of the New: Congress and Asia in 2009.”

The report said the new U.S. administration and Congress should not be surprised if Pyongyang precipitates a crisis to elevate its importance in the eyes of U.S. foreign policy makers. Included in these threats are the risks of a second nuclear test or escalation of military tension with South Korea or Japan.

The organization says North Korean elites will continue to rely on brinksmanship and the possibility for progress on denuclearization to secure international resources, adding that regime security is Pyongyang’s main goal.