South Korea and 17 member states of the U.S.-led U.N. Command (UNC) called on Russia and North Korea on Tuesday to "immediately" cease their military cooperation, expressing "serious" concern over their arms trade and other activities. The countries issued the call in a joint statement adopted during a defense ministerial meeting involving South Korea and the members of the multinational force overseeing the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War. Of the 18 UNC members, South Africa did not participate in the meeting. "The defense ministers and representatives expressed serious concern over military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, highlighted by the signing of the 'Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,' including weapons transactions and technological cooperation," the statement read. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "They urged Russia and the DPRK to immediately cease all such activities," it said. Source: Yonhap News Agency