A White House official has predicted that the nature of the threat posed by North Korea could "drastically" change over the next decade due to “unprecedented” military cooperation with Russia.

Pranay Vaddi, senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council, made the remarks to the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies on Thursday.

Vaddi said the evolving security threat in Northeast Asia posed by Pyongyang on the back of support from Moscow requires that attention be paid to what Russia may be giving the North, and how it can improve the regime’s capabilities as well as its effect on the U.S.’ extended deterrence posture.

The remarks reflect concerns over the transfer of advanced military technology from Russia to North Korea in return for the recent supply of ballistic missiles and ammunition, as well as the possibility of joint weapons production.

South Korea and the U.S. believe that Pyongyang sent a large amount of military supplies, including artillery, to Moscow around the time Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu met with regime leader Kim Jong-un in July of last year during a trip to North Korea.

The provision of military supplies to Russia is speculated to have continued after a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September of last year, with Moscow handing over satellite launch technology used in Pyongyang's military reconnaissance satellite launch.