South Korea to allow lighting of 2 more Christmas trees at border with North Korea

[unreal.livejournal.com]

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.

Source: washingtonpost

Comments

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

That is a great initiative.

[turdferguson.livejournal.com]

wait so south korea is going to light up two christmas trees and it's psychological warfare?

[pivotandsway.livejournal.com]

to really hit it home they should play 4minute's "Jingle Jingle" really loudly

[babydollnana.livejournal.com]

omg yes

[kawaiisis86.livejournal.com]

SMH like Christmas trees have anything to do with Jesus or Christianity. Kinda makes me laugh how a ritualistic pagan tradition from England got carried all over the world.
But back to the topic, I can see how this would been seen as taunting for North Korea but its a good idea regardless.

[kawaiisis86.livejournal.com]

I did hear that but being from England I was always taught something akin to this:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

Although this source is pretty good:
http://www.positivearticles.com/Article/A-Short-History-of-the-Christmas-Tree/44178

And does mention Rhine.

[kawaiisis86.livejournal.com]

It doesnt bother me. I grew up Christian, but im also from a place with strong English pagan roots. They have festivals here every year and whatnot, so I grew to respect them all. esp the real meaning of Halloween. The hijacking of Christmas is something I was taught about in school too. My teacher was agnostic and she rocked. Just showed us how it was imposible that Jesus could be born around december based on what was written in the bible. I still think its funny that the worlds general idea of Xmas is this dickensian english xmas with Carollers and crap like Santa Claus. Sort of how Easter was hijacked. No one cares about the meaning of it, kids want easter eggs and to play around. But thats a whole nother' post lol! Im glad I study religions though, people tend to get cultural traditions mixed up with religion, like the Tree and Eggs for example.

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

I believe it originated from Livonia during the 15th century.
The Rhineland custom only started in the 18th century.

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

Well actually the 24/25th of december has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity to begin with so...

At first it was a pegan celebration of the winter festival.
In the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church first placed Christmas on December 25 because:
a. it falls exactly nine months after the Christian celebration of the conception of Jesus
B. it helped crush the pegan cult.

But now this particular day and the tress are mostly related to Jesus and Christianity so it seems logical that people would connect the two.

[kawaiisis86.livejournal.com]

+1

That its all bb. Thankyou.