South Korea said Wednesday it has torn down a tower near the inter-Korean border used as an ad hoc Christmas tree, a structure North Korea has called a propaganda tool and vowed to destroy with artillery. 

Built in 1971 on top of a hill west of Seoul, the steel tower drew regular protests from Pyongyang when lines of light bulbs and a cross were attached to it towards the end of the year to make it look like an illuminated Christmas tree—something that would be visible from inside North Korea but probably not by many people. 

In 2012, North Korea’s state media said the lighted tower was “an open challenge and an unpardonable provocation” that was part of Seoul’s psychological warfare. 

On Thursday the tower was dismantled because of concerns about its structural integrity after tests were conducted on it, Seoul’s defense ministry said.  The ministry said the move was to ensure safety of tourists that come to see a panoramic view of the North Korean city of Kaesong. 

The ministry said the removal of the tower had nothing to do with an escalation in tensions in the border region after recent exchanges of fire.