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    SKorea to allow 2 more Christmas trees near border

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea will allow Christians to light two more Christmas tree-shaped towers near the tense border with North Korea despite strong opposition from Pyongyang, an official said Sunday.

    The South Korean government allowed a Christian group to light a massive steel Christmas tree near the border last year for the first time in seven years as tensions flared in the wake of two deadly attacks blamed on the North.

    That tree will be lit again this month, while South Korea has also decided to allow other Christian groups to light two other front-line Christmas trees, a Defense Ministry official said.

    The decision is meant to help guarantee freedom of expression and religion, the official said on condition of anonymity, citing office policy.

    Earlier on Sunday, North Korea's state-run Uriminzokkiri website said that lighting the first tree was a form of psychological warfare and would trigger an "unexpected consequence."

    South Korea's military will bolster security near the three trees, located on the western, central and eastern portions of the border, the Defense Ministry official said. The trees will stay lit for 15 days starting Dec. 23.

    Animosity between the two Koreas still lingers in the aftermath of the North's alleged torpedoing of a South Korean warship and its artillery bombardment of a South Korean island that killed a total of 50 South Koreans last year. North Korea has denied responsibility in the warship sinking.

    The two Koreas fought a devastating three-year war in the early 1950s. The war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean peninsula technically in a state of war.

     
     
    Top Locations Seoul

    573 comments

    • ComeAtMeBro  •  5 mths ago
      Hey all of you pathetic, stupid Christians... do some research and you will soon discover that the use of a 'Christmas ' tree is actually a pagan custom that was stolen by the Christians...just like everything else regarding their phony religion and non-existent god.
    • Texas_Wildman_34_partytim ...  •  Amarillo, United States  •  5 mths ago
      Kim jung dung is a grynch, You had better not F u C k with Santa, otherwise we will bomb the hell out you. :)
    • Robert  •  Pensacola, United States  •  5 mths ago
      North Korea can "F.O.A.D. They are a Godless society.And contrary to what some of you may think,we are still at war with them,it's only a cease fire,not a peace treaty.
      • Dawbotron 5 mths ago
        Becsuse 'god' has made so many other places peaceful right? He's really doing a bang up job.
      • Smilin' Bob 5 mths ago
        Last paragraph of the story: The two Koreas fought a devastating three-year war in the early 1950s. The war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean peninsula technically in a state of war.

        I can read thank you very much.
      • . 5 mths ago
        id rather have a godless society then the evil Republican "Christian society"
    • RaymondW  •  Chicago, United States  •  5 mths ago
      We will not do anything about syria, iran or north korea because we don't have the man power or resources or the balls to take on china or russia and the military with the worlds biggest budget are a bunch of pansys with a bunch of sissy's for leaders..Start up a mandatory Draft and that would be the only thing that would put a little scare in the minds of world leaders...giving all of americas money and future to help rebuild other countries is the stupidest and dumbest thing this country has ever done...blame all this on clinton n carter and obama....
    • Ruthann  •  Monroe, United States  •  5 mths ago
      you cant make people get along,franco tryed and suceeded by force but when he was gone it was back to square one. They do have the 2 trees,so who knows might be progress but no matter what cant force point of view or beliefs ,it just doesnt work.
      • Eric 5 mths ago
        And what are the North Koreans doing to there people? Forcing them to not believe in any religion.
        So really your comment is totally wrong!!! Look at the 10 BILLION people in China, they are BUDDHIST yet their country tells them they cant do this, or that and kills their priest as a form of control.
        And 10 BILLION people go along with it.
        So, I think you way off base, or need to explain your comment.
        Are you Christian or anything else. Did your Mommy and Daddy take you to Church, do you now believe in God, then someone forced their beliefs upon you and you accepted.
        Amazing how that works......
      • Jen88! 5 mths ago
        The thing is, the people who are forced to live on the other side of the border don't hold different beliefs, the authoritarian government who rules cruelly and murders their own people for dissent does. The people of North Korea are living in ignorant exile from the world, and not on their own accord.
      • 4999 5 mths ago
        Eric there aren't even 10 billion people on Earth. There are Christians in North Korea
    • DannY  •  Warminster, United States  •  5 mths ago
      Well, freedom of religion is the same as freedom from religion, is it not? Bring them on: X-mas trees, Buddha statues, Allah's fart, Zeus's fork...We'll worship them all, eh.
    • Marshall Law Cle OH  •  5 mths ago
      Since when does The ROK have to even consider how The DPRK ? What is The DPRK going to do, shell the tree on 24 December? Think it's a great non-violent, creative way to express The ROK's displeasure with ILL Dum Dung.
      • Ant 5 mths ago
        They could.. its still war. a commando raid across the border to cut them down would be funny as hell.
    • The Fook  •  Boston, United States  •  5 mths ago
      Christianity is fairly popular there. Plus I like the idea of #$%$ of Kim Jong Il. North Korea is the most #$%$ backwards and anti-American country on the face of the earth. Granted, this isnt gonna change a thing on the Korean peninsula, but if it gets the little so #$%$ off he jumps out of his shoe lifts, then it was was worth it.
    • Mark F  •  5 mths ago
      North Korea should hire the ACLU to defend them in this case...they probably wouldn't even charge you.
    • Peace of The Earth  •  5 mths ago
      is it me or is Kim Jong Il like the Scrooge of Christmas?
    • Ant  •  5 mths ago
      Wheres the cries of bring our troops home??? We still have troops stationed in S Korea.. but people dont say crap? Really? Activists are Hypocrites , they dont care that our troops are stationed in other countries at all. They only protest what makes them popular with their friends
      • H 5 mths ago
        let's all decorate the "poplar" people! wooo!
      • H 5 mths ago
        let's all decorate the "poplar" people! wooo!
      • lathrupman 5 mths ago
        Well, do something Ant. You just crawl over to the White House and tell Obama to bring our troops home. That will keep America and the free world safe, won't it?
    • H  •  5 mths ago
      it's not what goes into a man that's important, but how many led lights he can squeeze onst thine tinseled branch.
    • Bender  •  5 mths ago
      Because heaven forbid those communists should let their people accidentaly SEE a Christmas tree 1000yds away. They might get the idea that there's something more important than the STATE!!! (ps not religious)
      • Ant 5 mths ago
        Its the idea that organized religion is a means of control , which it is.
      • K 5 mths ago
        Only if you let it Ant, just like you can let an educational system, political party, corperation, or union control you.
      • LarryK 5 mths ago
        It isn't a tree. It is a big tower with Christmas lights on it in the shape of a tree.
    • H  •  5 mths ago
      i'm sure jesus cares. especially since he's about as real as paul bunyun. big freakein' deal. humans are stupid.
    • H  •  5 mths ago
      god will condemn any society that doesn't bedazzle his coniferz....lmao.
    • 5881  •  5 mths ago
      Godless society,finally someone is snapping out of "it".
    • happybee  •  5 mths ago
      No "Christmas Trees" but North Korea says a 100 "Holiday Trees" are OK.
    • Mike M  •  5 mths ago
      Hmm, communist North Korea doesn't like Christmas trees and neither do secularists in America. Coincidence?
    • Dominic  •  Baltimore, United States  •  5 mths ago
      Lets just call a spade a spade it's not about religon or who is a devil or any of that nonsence lets keep it real it's all about power
    • A Yahoo! User  •  5 mths ago
      I apologize for the ignorant remarks of the undereducated, inbred hillbillies here.
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