This is what the Obama administration didn’t need. The North Koreans have announced they are withdrawing from the “six party” talks concerning their nuclear weapons programs and will reinstate them.

From MarketWatch:

North Korea said Tuesday it will break off six-party talks on its nuclear program, which it plans to restart following condemnation by the U.N. Security Council, according to reports from the region. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the North “vowed to further reinforce its nuclear deterrence,” citing a report from Pyongyang’s state-run media. Meanwhile, Agence France-Presse cited a foreign ministry statement in the North Korean news reports as rejecting the talks — which include China, Russia, the U.S., Japan and South Korea — saying: “We will never again take part in such talks and will not be bound by any agreement reached at the talks.” 

Sooner or later any new President is going to be faced with rogue nations that want to test his mettle. This is the first of those but surely not likely to be the last.