An SUV rammed into a guard post in front of the official residence of the Russian ambassador to South Korea, seriously injuring a police officer on duty, officials said Monday.

The accident happened at 10:10 p.m. Sunday in front of the ambassador's residence in Seoul's central district of Jongno, and the officer was taken to a hospital with serious injuries to his neck and shoulders, officials said.

The driver was not under the influence of alcohol, officials said.

Police are looking into the exact cause of the crash.

Confirming the accident, the Russian Embassy sent out a consolation message to the injured police officer.

"We express our sympathies to the police officer injured in this accident and wish him a speedy recovery," the embassy said in a social media post.

The accident "did not create a threat to the safety of the staffers of the diplomatic mission," it said. (Yonhap)