NEW YORK, July 7 (RIA Novosti) - The UN Security Council has condemned a series of North Korean missile launches carried out over the weekend in defiance of UN resolutions.

North Korea test launched seven ballistic missiles on July 4 from its eastern coast. The South Korean Defense Ministry said the missiles were Scud-type and had flown up to 500 kilometers (300 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan.

The move, which took place just two days after North Korea conducted four test launches of short-range missiles, had been criticized by a number of states, including Russia.

Ruhakana Rugunda, the ambassador of Uganda, which holds the rotating Council presidency in July, said on Monday the Security Council "expressed grave concerns" following the tests.

The Security Council said in a statement the missile launches by the reclusive communist regime "violate Council resolutions and pose a threat to regional and international security."

However, the Security Council failed to adopt any document denouncing the move but reiterated that Pyongyang must comply with its obligations under resolutions 1718 and 1874.

Council members "appealed to all parties to refrain from any actions that might escalate the situation, and reiterated their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the issue," Rugunda said.