A South Korean military officer stands guard Tuesday as Christians prepare a lighting ceremony in front of a Christmas tree atop a military-controlled hill near the militarized border. The tree is the latest focus of tensions with North Korea. [Kim Jae-Myung, AFP/Getty Images]

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It's the season of goodwill to all mankind, but not on the Korean peninsula. The two rival neighbors are once again threatening to go to war -- this time over a gaudy display of Christmas lights.

North Korea's Grinch-like military reportedly is threatening to shell a floodlit metal tower -- decked with 100,000 light bulbs and topped with an illuminated cross -- that the South has erected on its side of the heavily militarized border, according to the South's Yonhap News Agency. The Christmas tree-shaped beacon was switched on Tuesday night at a ceremony that saw a Santa-hatted choir -- surrounded by gun-toting marines -- sing "Joy to the World" and other carols. ...（点击美国在线查看原文）

朝鲜要摧毁韩国圣诞树？！

       当全世界都一团和乐地准备过圣诞节的时候，朝鲜半岛又一次风云突变。朝鲜和韩国这对老冤家再次嚷嚷要开战了，不过这次不是为了军演，而是为了一棵高大的圣诞树。

       据韩国媒体报道，朝鲜军方声称要全力摧毁韩国边境的一座铁塔。因为韩国人把这座铁塔打扮成圣诞树的模样，在上面挂了10万枚灯泡，还举办了一场隆重的亮灯仪式，请合唱团在士兵长枪短炮的包围下大唱特唱了一番圣诞歌曲。

       韩国人说，这一举动完全是出于好心，他们希望把圣诞节的欢乐气氛传递给朝鲜同胞。

       但朝鲜政府明显没有接受这番好意，他们斥责韩国人是借机搞政治宣传。因为朝鲜边境地区都能看到这座高大的灯塔，每天晚上韩国那边灯火通明，歌舞升平，朝鲜这边却三餐不继，经常停电，动不动就陷入一片黑暗。朝鲜政府说，韩国人点亮铁塔的行为是鲁莽的，朝鲜有可能会发动攻击进行反击。

       面对朝鲜的威胁，韩国也毫不服输，他们的国防部官员表示，如果朝鲜胆敢攻击圣诞铁塔，韩国一定对他们进行强有力的反击。

       不过尽管两国高层唾沫横飞，铁塔还是在朝韩边境上屹立不倒，明亮的灯光继续照耀着这两个剑拔弩张的国家。