More Missle Launches (CNN)

North Korea Thursday defended its missile launches, calling them part of a routine military exercise, and promised more launches in the future.

Diplomats and technical experts planned to meet at the United Nations on Thursday to work on a Security Council resolution that would impose sanctions on Pyongyang.

North Korea launched seven missiles over a 14-hour period Wednesday, sparking an international outcry as the secretive Communist nation broke its own moratorium on the launches.

The country's "exercise of its legitimate right as a sovereign state is neither bound to any international law nor to bilateral or multilateral agreements ... ," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, according to the state-run news agency KCNA.

Pyongyang also warned any country that might want to interfere.

North Korea "will have no option but to take stronger physical actions of other forms, should any other country dare take issue with the exercises and put pressure upon it," the spokesman said, in Pyongyang's first official comment since test-firing the missiles on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, North Korea said it would respond to any pre-emptive U.S. military attack with an "annihilating strike and a nuclear war," according to KCNA reports.

"The latest successful missile launches were part of the routine military exercises staged by the KPA (Korean People's Army) to increase the nation's military capacity for self-defense," the spokesman said.

"The KPA will go on with missile launch exercises as part of its efforts to bolster deterrent for self-defense in the future, too."

U.N. Security Council members denounced the tests and said they are considering a draft resolution -- presented by Japan -- that would impose sanctions on the Communist nation's missile program.

The resolution would prevent nations from providing money, materials and technology that could contribute to North Korea's "missile and other weapons of mass destruction programs."

But China and Russia have expressed the desire for a weaker statement -- something that would avoid sanctions and the weight of international law.

"This is the view of the international community, that actions taken should be constructive to maintaining peace in that part of the world," Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said.

China is one of five permanent council members, including Russia, with veto power and, as North Korea's neighbor, is Pyongyang's main provider of food, oil and economic aid. (Security Council facts)

All of the seven missiles fired by North Korea early Wednesday local time -- six short-range variants of the Soviet-era Scud and one long-range rocket -- fell into the Sea of Japan. (See a map of the North Korean tests)

The long-range missile, the Taepodong-2, failed about 40 seconds after it was fired. Some analysts believe it could be capable of reaching the United States.

The White House has said Wednesday's missile launches posed no immediate threat to the United States, but Washington has dispatched Christopher Hill, its top negotiator in the six-party talks, to consult with U.S. allies in Asia.

China is sending a top diplomat to Pyongyang next week to try to restart the stalled talks, news agencies reported.

Six nations -- the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the United States -- have been meeting to talk about Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

The six-party talks have stalled in recent months as North Korea has insisted on direct talks with Washington.

The United States and Japan had urged Pyongyang to stick with the moratorium on long-range missile tests it declared in 1999, after it fired a Taepodong-1 missile over Japan in 1998.

President Bush said the missile tests only serve to further isolate North Korea, and vowed to work with the other members in the six-party talks "to remind the leader of North Korea that there is a better way forward for his people."

"It's their choice to make, but what these firings of the rockets have done is isolate the North Koreans further," Bush said. "And that's sad for the people of North Korea."

Some analysts said the tests were also an effort by impoverished North Korea to redirect attention to the six-party talks. (Watch why North Korea may be flexing its muscles -- 3:31)

.