Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, shakes hands with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul during their meeting in Seoul, in this photo provided the next day by Cho's offie, July 2. Yonhap

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul has met with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and discussed a broad range of issues, including growing military ties between Russia and North Korea, the upcoming U.S. presidential election and the bilateral alliance, Cho's office said Wednesday.

The meeting took place Tuesday as Rice was visiting South Korea this week to speak at a forum hosted by an international Christian radio network. Rice served as the top U.S. diplomat and the national security adviser under the administration of George W. Bush.

At the meeting, Cho and Rice shared serious concerns over the expanding military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, and exchanged opinions on the outlook of the relationship and ways to respond to their deepening ties.

Cho "stressed that South Korea will take action in response to the threats posed by the Russia-North Korea cooperation through the staunch South Korea-U.S. alliance and the trilateral security cooperation with the United States and Japan," the ministry said in a release.

Rice "expressed support for South Korea's efforts to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community," it said.

The ministry also quoted Rice as noting how the bilateral alliance and the three-way cooperation with Japan have been strengthening under the leadership of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and pointing out that the U.S. alliance with South Korea will continue to develop regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president. (Yonhap)