A local Christian group has called off its plan to light up Christmas towers near the tense border with North Korea, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday, in consideration of concerns among residents the moves could provoke the communist nation.

It had been an annual tradition for South Korea to light a Christmas tree on top of a hill called Aegibong near the western border with the North before it was suspended in 2003 under a reconciliation agreement with the communist rival to end border propaganda activity.

Seoul resumed lighting a giant tower in 2010 after the North's deadly artillery attack on a border island in the Yellow Sea.

Pyongyang has strongly condemned the move as psychological warfare and warned of retaliatory attacks.

For this year's event, the Military Evangelical Association of Korea in early October asked for the ministry's approval to set up Christmas tree-shaped towers on Aegibong and two observation posts, but called off the plan on Friday.

"The association didn't explain the reason, but the decision seems to have come after recent protests from local residents were taken into consideration," a ministry official said.

Residents living in the border area recently formed a committee to block conservative activists' attempts to send propaganda leaflets across the border and illuminate the towers during the Christmas season.

Last week, they held a rally to protest against setting up a Christmas tree near the border, saying it could stir up controversy ahead of the December 19 presidential election and thus heighten tension with North Korea.

"Although we basically agree with the purpose of their activities, it could provoke the North and lead to unexpected incidents considering the current circumstance and a series of strong remarks," the city government of Gimpo said Monday in a recommendation delivered to the government and related organizations.

"Residents are worried about such possibilities," it said.

(Yonhap News)