A South Korean man went on trial Wednesday for allegedly ramming his truck into the gate of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in July to protest Tokyo's claim to South Korea-controlled islets.
In the session before the Seoul Central District Court, Kim Chang Geun, 62, said he committed the act "following the spirit of anti-Japan loyal troops" who fought against Japanese invaders led by feudal warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century.
Prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison term for Kim. A ruling will be handed down Sept. 5. The embassy's gate was damaged in the crash, but there were no casualties.