The United Nations Security Council has condemned recent North Korea missile tests, calling them a threat to regional and international security.

The council's Ugandan president said the firing of the seven ballistic missiles on Saturday (US Independence Day) violated three existing resolutions, the BBC reported.

UN resolutions ban North Korea from all ballistic missile-related activities. The sanctions were strengthened after Pyongyang carried out a second underground nuclear test in May 2009.

North Korea is now banned from exporting all weapons, and importing all but small arms. North Korean ships are also liable for inspection.

"The launches constitute a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to regional and international security", Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda of Uganda, who chairs the council in July, said.

He said members of the 15-nation body had "condemned and expressed grave concern" over Saturday's launches, but also expressed their commitment to "a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution".

The missile launches on Saturday were apparently timed to coincide with Independence Day in the United States.

Saturday's seven Scud-type ballistic missiles had a range of about 500km. The missiles fell into the Sea of Japan.

Both South Korea and Japan called the launches an "act of provocation".