North Korea: The Christmas tree in Seoul at the border is a declaration of war

South Korea's intention to install a giant Christmas tree on Aegibong Hill, located on the southern bank of a river that separates the two Koreas, has been labeled a declaration of war by the North's military. This statement was made by a representative of the North Korean Western Command through a communiqué, which emphasized that the lighting ceremony in that area, a result of the policies of South Korea's ruling circles led by President Park Geun-hye, is "an insult to the soldiers and officers of the Korean People's Army and practically amounts to a declaration of war," according to TASS. The command representative warned that North Korea "will not sit idly by watching the provocative actions of the South Korean regime in the military demarcation line area of the demilitarized zone." They also noted that North Korean soldiers on the western front "have already demonstrated their willingness to oppose the launching of balloons carrying provocative leaflets from South Korea." "This is why Seoul must pay attention to the fact that the Army and people of the People's Republic have already begun taking strong countermeasures against the provocateurs," the statement added. The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony was held until 2004, when Pyongyang and Seoul agreed to cease propaganda activities on both sides of the border. However, following the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in 2010, the ceremony resumed. Last year, amid the severe deterioration of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Ministry of Defense rejected requests from South Korean churches to allow the lighting of the Christmas tree, which can be seen from North Korean territory.