North Korea Protests South Korean Christmas Trees

December 14, 2011

North Korea has warned South Korea of "unexpected consequences" if it lights up three giant steel Christmas trees near the world's most heavily armed border, CNSNews.com reports. The South Korean government gave permission for evangelical groups to light the trees, which are topped by crosses, for 15 days in locations where they will potentially be seen by hundreds of thousands of North Koreans -- one on a hill within viewing distance of a large city and the other two on observation platforms further along the border. The South Korean Christians said they wanted to send a message of support to fellow believers in the North, a country regarded as one of the worst for Christian persecution. However, the North Korean government viewed the trees as a propaganda stunt, objecting to both the religious symbolism and the implicit display of prosperity visible to citizens of a country where electricity is rationed.