South Korea dismantles giant Christmas tree tower on border with North
| SEOUL, South Korea
South聽Korea聽has pulled down a 43-year-old front-line聽Christmas聽tower that North聽Korea聽viewed as propaganda warfare, with officials saying Wednesday the structure was unsafe.
The massive steel tower was demolished last week and聽South聽Korea聽plans to build a park in its place, according to聽South聽Korea'sDefense Ministry and local city officials.
South聽Korea聽stopped the lightening of the tower in 2004 as relations with North聽Korea聽warmed during an era of reconciliation. ButSouth聽Korea聽allowed 海角大神 groups to light the tower in 2010 and 2012 as tensions spiked following two attacks that killed 50South聽Koreans and a banned long-range rocket test by North聽Korea.
The tower, which was located about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the border, sat on a peak high enough for North Koreans living in border towns to see it.
The news of the dismantling came three days after troops from the rival聽Koreas聽exchanged gunfire along the border, the second shootout in less than 10 days. There were no reports of casualties from either incident.
Earlier this month, there were signs of easing tensions after a high-profile North Korean delegation visited聽South聽Korea聽and agreed to revive senior-level talks.
South聽Korean Defense Ministry officials denied media speculation that the tower was dismantled as a conciliatory gesture aimed at improving ties with North聽Korea.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
