As much of the world celebrates Christmas Eve, a special tree has been lit south of the DMZ for North Koreans on the other side of the border to see. A nearly 30 metre metal structure draped with ornamental lights and bearing an illuminated Christian cross on the top has been switched on by South Korea for the first time in 7 years. Recently the two halves of the peninsula have been escalating tensions, this time with the South Koreans seemingly reveling in their own provocations in the form of massive military drills near the border. South Korean soldiers guard the tree as the North has denounced its lighting as provocation and there were concerns they might fire on it.
The Christmas tree, planted in the highly visible Aegibong Peak, was originally planned to shut down on December 26th, the day following Christmas. The shutoff date was later extended to January 8th, in respect for other religious organizations and not to coincide with the birthday of Kim Jong-Un as some may suspect. The tree lighting is a tradition founded by the South in 1954, the year following the Korean War as a sort of “message of peace”/propaganda for the North, depending on how you want to look at it.
Merry Christmas, Koreas!
Source: AFP
