SEOUL
A South Korean Christian group has canceled plans to build and illuminate a Christmas tree-like tower near the North-South border following threats from Pyongyang against what it sees as a propaganda tool.
An official from the Christian Council of Korea announced the cancelation at a news conference Thursday, expressing concerns over potential tension between the countries and within South Korea, according to the country’s national news agency.
Yonhap quoted Hong Jae-chul as saying, "Despite our sincere intention and motivation [of peace and love], it has drawn unnecessary misunderstandings that it would trigger inter-Korean tension as well as confrontation between conservative and progressive groups as well as jitters among local citizens."
Earlier this month, the South’s defense ministry gave the group permission to set up the 18-meter high triangular tower, which was first erected in 1971 but dismantled in October over safety fears. Seoul denied caving in to pressure from the North amid claims the dismantling of the structure was an attempt to improve relations.
North Korea had vowed to destroy the tower, which was topped with a crucifix, and warned in November that constructing a new structure would raise cross-border tensions and provoke armed conflict. Two weeks ago, it said the Christian Council of Korea would be responsible for unspecified consequences resulting from setting up the structure.
The site – at Aegibong Peak, a 165-meter hill about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the western border – is visible from the North and is popular with tourists in the South wanting to gaze across the heavily militarized border into the world’s most secretive country.
Religious activity is highly restricted in the North and Christian missionaries are routinely sentenced to years of hard labor.
The discussion over the tower comes at a time of bumpy relations between the two Koreas. A series of breakthrough high-level talks took place at the start of October but were cancelled and followed by border incidents involving artillery and small arms fire.
North Korea has also expressed its anger over increasing global pressure on its human rights record, including from the South.
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