What Time is North Korea? While many countries set their clocks by the same universal time (UTC) and measure the passing of days using a single, agreed-upon calendar, North Korea continues to operate on its own unique time zone known as Pyongyang Time. Unusually, this is only 30 minutes different than the standard UTC +9 time zone, even though the country is more than twice as far east of the UTC ‘Greenwich Mean Time’.
In 2015, North Korea announced that it would be changing its time zone in order to emphasize the release of its new official calendar – the Juche Era, or Juche Year. The Juche calendar was created in order to mark the birth of Kim Il-Sung and recognize him as the founder of North Korean ideology. North Korea’s clocks went forward by 30 minutes in August 2015, putting them officially an hour behind South Korea and Japan.
The announcement was met with some international confusion, and speculation as to whether this change would have implications beyond simply setting the clock. However, North Korean officials were quick to respond, claiming that this was purely a symbolic gesture intended to promote national pride.
For the average North Korean citizen, the time change had no real effect on everyday life, except maybe for having to adjust to sleeping and eating patterns, or for having to adjust to being an hour late for work, school and appointments. North Korea’s time adjustment also led to some confusion for neighboring countries who had to adjust their clocks in order to maintain contact with the North.
However, for North Koreans, the 30-minute time difference did have some significance. It provided an opportunity for them to reflect on the ideological code of self-reliance, or Juche, which is the unofficial national anthem of North Korea. Many North Koreans believe that the time change demonstrated their country’s willingness to be independent and disregard pressures from the outside world.
Despite the symbolic significance, there are people who are skeptical of this time difference. To some, it appears that North Korea is simply avoiding the global standard and refusing to be part of an international agreement. In other words, North Korea is bucking against the global trend, attempting to exercise its independence.
Whatever the North Korean government’s real motives for changing its time are, the move highlights the state’s commitment to maintaining a distinct sense of identity from other nations in the region. This is one theme that has been consistent since the nation’s founding, and North Korea is eager to maintain this distinction going forward.
Comparison to Other Countries
North Korea’s time change seems to put it in line with other countries in the region, such as China and China’s two special administrative regions – Hong Kong and Macau. While these countries are on the same UTC +8 time zone, they all follow the Japanese calendar and only differ by 30 minutes. This leads some experts to speculate that North Korea was trying to emulate its neighbor’s policy by implementing its own 30-minute time difference.
However, North Korea still stands out from the rest of its Asian neighbors, as it is the only country that continues to operate on Pyongyang Time. It has been suggested that this could be an attempt by the country to emphasize its uniqueness and demonstrate that it is its own sovereign nation, separate from the outside world. Alternatively, it could merely be a way of the North Korean government showing its own anti-Western sentiment, since most of the world operates off of UTC +0, sometimes called “World Time”.
It is undeniable that North Korea continues to hold a unique place on the world stage due its political decisions and policies, and the time difference is just another example of its reluctance to conform to global norms.
Effect On Global Business & Trade
The implications of the 30-minute time difference on North Korea’s economy and global relations cannot be ignored. Most business is conducted on an international basis, and it is critical for countries to stay on the same calendar and time zone. North Korea is already isolated from the outside world due to its political climate, but this time difference has added another obstacle for its trading partners.
Businesses in North Korea have faced new difficulties in staying on top of the current time for global markets and news, as well as difficulties in coordinating with other countries. It is also more difficult for North Korean companies to work with their foreign counterparts since many companies rely on using unified times when setting up collaborations, meetings and other important activities.
Despite these issues, some businesses have found ways to make the 30-minute difference work for them. A growing number of North Korean businesses are setting up offices in other countries that rely on UTC+0 and using unified times to stay on top of their work. There has also been a push by more tech-savvy companies to use more digital communication methods, such as video conferencing and digital document sharing, to eliminate the need for physical face-to-face meetings.
However, for the most part, North Korea’s time difference continues to be a hindrance for many companies and traders looking to do business in the country.
Impact on Quality of Life
The impact of North Korea’s time difference on its citizens is harder to estimate since the country’s media and other channels of communication are tightly controlled. However, it is safe to assume that the information blackout and strictly enforced curfew have made it more difficult for North Koreans to stay informed about global events and time changes.
It has been suggested that the 30-minute time difference has discouraged people from travelling and interacting with outsiders, since it adds an extra barrier to communication. Additionally, as mentioned before, there may be difficulties in coordinating work and leisure activities, as well as other day-to-day activities that could be affected by the different time.
It is worth noting that the inconvenience isn’t necessarily one-sided. South Koreans, who are used to calibrating their clocks and activities around a unified time, have also had to make adjustments in order to keep in touch with the North.
Conclusion
North Korea’s decision to change its time has been criticised by many as an attempt to secede from the global standard, and therefore flex its independent muscle. However, it is unclear what the real motives behind the change were.
What is clear is that the change has had implications for both North Koreans, and their neighboring countries in the region. Not only has it caused confusion for those who have had to adjust their clocks, but it has also caused difficulties for businesses looking to interact with North Korea. The time difference has also raised questions about North Korea’s attempt to maintain a sense of independence and identity in the face of global standards.
