South Korea has demolished a tower used to construct a Christmas tree at the border with North Korea.

The ritual, in which the 60ft (18m) tower was covered in colourful lights and topped with a cross, was seen by the North as propaganda by the South.

The North repeatedly demanded its demolition and threatened to shell it.

The move came a week after senior military officials from the two Koreas held talks for the first time in seven years.

The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says the South's decision to finally scrap the tower could be seen as a gesture to the North that provocation needs to be toned down.

Two weeks ago, the two countries briefly exchanged gun fire across their land border, in a rare incident.

Gunfire was also exchanged recently when a North Korean patrol ship crossed the disputed western maritime border.

The tower, which stood about 3km (2 miles) from the border, could be seen by North Koreans living in nearby towns.

Citing a defence official, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the tower, built in 1971, was being removed because it could collapse.

The official refuted speculation that the demolition had to do with relations with North Korea, and said the tower had been awarded a low grade during a safety check.

In 2004, the South stopped allowing groups to erect the Christmas tree after dialogue with the North in which both sides agreed to stop propaganda activities by the border.

But it allowed Christian groups to put up the tree in 2010 when a South Korean warship was sunk by, Seoul says, a North Korean submarine.

News of the tower's demolition came as the North freed Jeffrey Fowle, one of three US citizens currently detained.

(BBC)