YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — South Korea’s president, Roh Moo-hyun, expressed reservations yesterday about possible new American sanctions against North Korea over its recent missile tests, a visiting American congressional delegation said.

Mr. Roh “felt a carrot was more useful with the North Koreans than a stick,” the chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, said after meeting with the South Korean president. “He expressed a lack of enthusiasm for more sanctions.”

The North test-fired seven missiles last month, including a new model believed to be capable of reaching parts of America. The move prompted the U.N. Security Council to pass a statement criticizing the July 5 tests and calling on all member nations to halt weapons-related dealings with the country.

Washington lifted a range of financial sanctions against North Korea in 1999 after it agreed to a self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile tests that it broke with its latest launches, fueling speculation the sanctions might be renewed.

Mr. Hyde urged the United Nations to be more active in dealing with North Korea, which also has boycotted international talks on its nuclear weapons program since November.

“We thought that’s what it was, the U.N., an organization to solve these serious international disputes,” Mr. Hyde said. “Let’s go, U.N., and do something useful.”

The international talks on the North’s nuclear program are hosted by China and also include America, Japan, Russia, and South Korea.

Mr. Hyde also said Mr. Roh promised to resolve an issue over the lack of an aerial bombing range for American military pilots based in South Korea. The American military has complained about the shortage of training facilities, which means it must send its pilots abroad to practice.

The range complaint comes amid a debate in South Korea over whether it should retake wartime command of its troops from American control.