SEOUL, South Korea has denounced "any acts" that help North Korea build up its military capability as a violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, calling on the international community for a "stern" united response to such activities. Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won made the call during a foreign ministers' meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran on Monday (local time), after Russia and North Korea announced a new partnership centered on greater military ties following the leaders' summit in Pyongyang last week. The ACD is a multilateral consultative body mainly involving Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and Russia is also a member. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko attended the meeting. A foreign ministry official in Seoul confirmed that Chung had a brief encounter with Rudenko but did not elaborate. Russia and the North signed a new treaty calling for the provision of military and other assistance from one side to the other if either of the two get s invaded. At the ACD session, Chung highlighted that "Any direct or indirect actions that help enhance North Korea's military capabilities, including the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea, constitute a violation of relevant UNSC resolutions," his office said. Chung also "called for the international community to sternly respond to all actions that threaten international security and peace," the foreign ministry said. The ACD was established in 2002 as a consultative body among Asian countries. It comprises 34 members, including South Korea, China, Japan, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and those in the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia. Iran is currently serving as the rotating chair. Chung also met separately with Iran's acting top diplomat, Ali Bagheri-Kani, on the sidelines of the gathering and discussed bilateral and other issues of common interest, Seoul's foreign ministry said. At the start of the talks, Chung expressed condolences ove r the sudden passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian last month. Chung then discussed expanding cooperation with Tehran in areas like academia and cultural exchanges, calling Iran an influential state and voicing expectations that it will play a more constructive role in ensuring regional stability, the ministry said. Source: Yonhap News Agency