The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says that North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities pose a serious threat not only to Northeast Asia but also to the U.S.

Speaking at the Foreign Press Club in Washington on Wednesday, Admiral Mike Mullen also urged the international community to bring as much pressure as it can to deter North Korean provocations.

He said that now is “a really dangerous time” and warned of further provocations by North Korea amid speculation that the North is in the midst of a transfer of power from Kim Jong-il to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.

Mullen added that the North's provocations could become more frequent and more catastrophic.

Mullen made the comments while discussing remarks made by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday in Beijing. Gates said that Pyongyang will have developed an intercontinental ballistic missile within five years.