Somewhere in the world, clock hands are ticking, marking the time—unless you’re in North Korea. This totalitarian state has long had its own unique approach to time: North Korea Time or Pyongyang Time. But what is North Korea Time and what time really is it in North Korea?
In 2015, North Korea shifted its time zone from GMT+8:30 to GMT+9:00. This means that North Korea is exactly 1.5 hours ahead of South Korea, and 8.5 hours ahead of the United States. The Pyongyang regime appears to view this move as an attempt to break away from its southern neighbor, later adjusting the clocks by 30 minutes to create its own unique time zone.
The move was a symbolic effort to assert autonomy from South Korea and the US. As explained by Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation, shifting the clocks by 30 minutes allowed North Korea to officially declare that “the regime was not dependent on South Korea’s timekeeping.” It has also been suggested that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was inspired by the creation of Russia’s own time zone in the early 20th century.
So North Korea’s current time is GMT + 9. But why is this unusual? North Korea is the only nation in the world that falls within the UTC +9 time zone and uses a 30-minute offset. The other countries in UTC +9 and +9:30 do not follow the North Korean model, which has the clock’s hands shifting by either full or half hours.
It is estimated that roughly 60 million people now live in North Korea, with the vast majority (over 95%) living within the 4.6 million km2 area of the country. Given their widespread geographical distribution, the various time differences are an important factor in the functioning of the country. It can also lead to coordination difficulties in terms of business, logistics and state interactions with international actors.
The implementation of North Korea Time has caused a number of practical problems, with citizens unable to accurately determine the current time when making international calls or going online. In addition, North Korean citizens who frequently travel abroad have difficulties adjusting to the local time zone. North Korean officials have also had to adjust their official stamps to the new time.
It is clear that North Korea is trying to establish its own identity and break away from international norms. While the move has given North Korea a symbolic identity of its own, it also has significant practical implications. The time difference is an additional obstacle to international cooperation and can lead to difficulties in coordinating activities and business. North Korea continues to take a unique and aggressive approach to matters of international significance.
Economic Implications of What Time In North Korea Now
Whether one agrees with the idea of a separate North Korean time zone or not, the varying times affect various aspects of North Korean life. For example, the tourism and catering industries suffer from the time difference as it is difficult for them to get accurate times from other countries. Local shops and restaurants must also adjust their business hours to accommodate tourists. In addition, even small variations in the time can lead to missed trade opportunities with other countries.
Furthermore, the implementation of North Korea Time may have an impact on the nation’s relationship with its neighbors. South Korea, Japan, and China all have a significant amount of trade with North Korea, however their transactions may be hampered by the differences in time. This could have serious economic implications as it may impede investment and business development in the region.
Importantly, this difference between North Korea and the rest of the world could have an impact on the international image of the country. North Korea is increasingly seen as an isolated and out of touch nation that exists within its own time zone. Combined with the lack of access to technology, this could lead to further divisions between the country and the outside world.
Effects of North Korea Time on the Population
In addition to the economic implications, the implementation of North Korea Time has had a number of effects on the population of the country. Some people living in North Korea find it hard to adjust to the new time, as it is difficult for them to keep accurate track of the time when making international calls or going online. This can be especially difficult for those in rural areas, where access to the internet is limited.
Furthermore, North Korean citizens who travel abroad often find it difficult to readjust to their local time zone. This is due to the peculiarity of their own time zone and the shift of 30 minutes in comparison to the rest of the world. North Koreans living abroad also face issues when determining their own watch time when going online.
Finally, there is the issue of having to adjust their official stamps to the new time. North Koreans use stamps for various official documents, with the accuracy of the time on the stamp being a matter of importance. With the change in time zones, it has been necessary for North Korean officials to make adjustments to the stamps in order to reflect the correct time.
Opinions of North Korea Time
Overall, the idea of North Korea Time has been met with mixed reactions. North Korean citizens have generally adapted it without major issue, however some are reluctant to embrace the change due to its foreignness. South Koreans, on the other hand, view it as an assertion of North Korean independence. This is a sentiment echoed by members of the international community, with experts pointing out that the time zone could be seen as the furthering of North Korean attempts to establish itself as a separate nation with its own identity.
There are also some who view North Korea Time as an attempt by the North Korean regime to control its population. The implementation of the time zone could help the government to control its citizens’ daily routines by making it harder for them to keep track of the correct time. This is especially true in rural areas, where access to the internet and other sources of information is more difficult.
Finally, there are those who view North Korea Time as a positive, viewing it as an effort to establish the nation as a legitimate sovereign state. They see the shift in time zone as an attempt to assert North Korean autonomy and break away from the customs of the international community.
Conclusion of North Korea Time
North Korea has long held a unique approach to time, marked most recently by the shift in time zone in 2015. This move has had practical and symbolic implications and has been met with mixed reactions. North Korean citizens have had to adjust to the changes, while individuals and businesses outside the country must also align their activities with North Korea’s unique time zone. It is clear that understanding North Korea Time is integral for understanding the country’s attempts to establish its own identity.
