South Korea regrets truck ramming at Japan Embassy

A cameraman films a confiscated truck at a police station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 9, 2012. A 62-year-old South Korean man rammed the truck into the Japanese Embassy's gate Monday in anger over an earlier demonstration by a Japanese activist who claimed Japan owns an island occupied by South Korea. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

SEOUL — Seoul is expressing regret to Tokyo after a South Korean man rammed a truck into the Japanese Embassy’s gate in anger over an earlier demonstration by a Japanese activist.

The embassy lodged a protest after the 62-year-old man hit the gate early Monday. Officials say the gate was damaged but no one was hurt.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry says it will boost security at the embassy.

Police say the man told investigators he was protesting a Japanese right-wing activist who recently placed a sign near the embassy that claimed Japan owns an island occupied by South Korea.

The sign was placed next to a statue commemorating Korean women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese troops during World War II.

Japan colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945.