What Time is it in North Korea?

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, is a nation steeped in mystery and religious symbolism. With a heavily fortified border and an authoritarian government, it is difficult to gauge much about the country from the outside. One area that has not been a well-kept secret, is the timezone the country operates on.

Knowledge of the North Korean Time Zone

It is not difficult to determine the timezone in North Korea. It is classified by the International Time Bureau as Pyongyang is known as UTC +9, or the equivalent of nine hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. This means that North Korea is offset by two hours in comparison to the Kingdom of South Korea. It is classified as belonging to the KST, which is short for Korea Standard Time.

History of the Time Zone in North Korea

Before the Korean War, the country utilized Japanese Standard Time, which fits in with the UTC +9. However, after the war, public opinion polls showed that the people of North Korea preferred a separate timezone from the one adopted in South Korea. In 2015, the North Korean government enacted the Pyongyang time, which was an offset of UTC +8:30. This brought the timezone closer in line to the UTC +8:30 utilized by South Korea. This was part of leader Kim Jong-un’s plans to unify the nation even more intently. In 2018, the time offset changed back to UTC +9, as it is currently.

Why Study North Korean Time?

North Korea is one of the most secretive nations in the world, and issues such as the nation’s use of its timezone provide citizens of the west with greater knowledge and insight into the country’s culture and norms. It is a sign of the state’s work to remain estranged, yet to try and strive for unification. At a time when the relations between North and South Korea are still cold, understanding of the differences between the two states becomes even more important.