SEOUL South Korean activists opposed to the United States' plans for a missile defense shield on Thursday scuffled with riot police and threw eggs at a vehicle carrying U.S. delegates, witnesses said.

Police arrested five activists who hurled eggs at a car carrying U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Nominee, James Kelly, outside a luxury hotel early Thursday, AFP reported.

Two eggs landed on a headlight and a front wheel. But head of the U.S. delegation, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, was spared the humiliation as he was jogging at the hotel at the time of the incident, Yonhap news agency said.

The incident came hours before a group of activists scuffled with riot police outside the Defense Ministry where armitage was meeting Defense Minister Kim Dong-Shin.

The protestors, carrying banners and shouting slogans, punched and kicked riot police troops when the protestors were pushed back. They hurled eggs at a police vehicle after Armitage entered the ministry through a back gate.

His visit sparked protests by activists opposed to the U.S. missile shield plan, which has also met with a lukewarm reception from the South Korean government.

Armitage is one of several envoys sent by President George W. Bush to explain the missile shield plan in foreign capitals, including U.S. allies who are concerned it could destabilize the global security architecture.

He said on Wednesday that the United States would soon resume stalled talks with North Korea as its policy review on the communist state neared completion.

At a meeting with Kim Dae-Jung on Wednesday, he conveyed a letter from Bush, who expressed "strong support" for Seoul's policy of engaging Pyongyang in dialogue.

Bush also indicated he wished to complete the ongoing review of the United States' North Korea policy as soon as possible, Kim's spokesman said.