Britain, France and Germany have called for a Security Council meeting on North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches, which are a violation of UN sanctions.

South Africa's UN Ambassador Jerry Matjila is the current council president and he told reporters Thursday that UN officials are trying to arrange a time for the meeting.

Diplomats say it could take place as early as Friday, but more likely early next week.

North Korea said Thursday it carried out its first underwater-launched ballistic missile test in three years on Wednesday.

It was an apparent effort to increase pressure on the United States ahead of Saturday's meeting of US and North Korean officials, the first since talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un collapsed at a February summit.