N. Korea threatens ‘unexpected consequences’ for S. Korea Christmas lights

PanARMENIAN.Net - North Korea has threatened to shoot out the lights of a giant Christmas tree-shaped tower that South Korea plans to illuminate near the tense border, Daily Mail reports.

The Communist North warned its southern enemy of ‘unexpected consequences’ if it went ahead to turn on the lights, saying Seoul would bear the ‘entire responsibilities’.

South Korea plans to illuminate about 100,000 lights on the 100ft-tall steel tower in the shape of a Christmas tree at the top of Aegibong Hill, located some two miles from the border with North Korea.

Officials in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, say that switching on the Christmas lights is an act of propaganda because they will be visible with the naked eye from the major northern border city of Kaesong.

It is thought that North Korea is concerned the lights will be regarded as a sign of the affluence of the South and will weaken the regime’s ideological control of its hungry people.

The North Korean website Uriminjokkiri has denounced the Christmas lights plan, saying it is aimed at provoking the North and stepping up anti-North Korea psychological warfare.

It is the second year in a row that the lights will be illuminated. The North threatened last year that it would fire artillery at the tower but nothing happened.

However this year the North has stepped up its warnings.