The European Union on Wednesday condemned North Korea's latest missile launches as yet another violation of its U.N. Security Council resolutions and urged the communist regime to comply with its international obligations.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles, clearly violating once more its international obligations as set out in multiple UN Security Council Resolutions," the EU's European External Action Service said in a statement.

"The DPRK must halt all missile launches using ballistic missile technology and fully comply with all its international obligations. This latest action by the DPRK will serve no purpose other than heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula and threaten the peace and security of the wider region," it said.

It also urged Pyongyang to refrain from any further action increasing tensions and engage in a meaningful dialogue.

North Korea fired two Rodong intermediate-range ballistic missiles early Wednesday. One of them exploded right after launch, but the other flew some 1,000 kilometers and fell in waters off Japan in the country's exclusive economic zone.

Such launches represent a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from any activity using ballistic missile technology over concern that it can be used to develop long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also issued a statement denouncing the launches.

"I strongly condemn North Korea's ballistic missile test today, which caused one missile to land in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. This is yet another in a series of missile tests in clear and direct violation of several United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including Resolution 2270, which require that North Korea cease all activities related to its ballistic missile programme," he said.

"The persistent provocative behaviour of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is of deep concern and undermines international security. NATO calls on Pyongyang to immediately cease and abandon all its existing nuclear and ballistic missile activities in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," it said.

Germany's Foreign Ministry also condemned the launches and said it will call in North Korea's ambassador. Britain and France also issued statements denouncing the provocations and urging the North to abide by its international obligations (Yonhap)