North Korea changes timezone by 30 minutes: Should South Korea as well?

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 10:16:13 -0400

(CNN)North Korea is its own world in many ways. Now, it is getting its own time zone to match.

State news agency, KCNA, has announced that North Korea will set its clocks back by 30 minutes to "Pyongyang time" on August 15--the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan.

That will reset the time to GMT+08:30, as it was before Japanese colonization.

"The wicked Japanese imperialists committed such unpardonable crimes as depriving Korea of even its standard time while mercilessly trampling down its land with 5 000 year-long history and culture and pursuing the unheard-of policy of obliterating the Korean nation," KCNA reported on Friday.

New time zone could 'cause some problems'
Kim Jong Un's new 'power' haircut

Kim Jong Un's new 'power' haircut 02:12
North Koreans already have their own calendar. Instead of counting from the birth of Christ, they count from the birth of founding leader, Kim Il Sung. Kim was born in 1912 -- known in North Korea as Juche 1, making this year Juche 104.

The new time will put Pyongyang half an hour behind Tokyo and Seoul.

South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman, Jeong Joon-hee told a briefing on Friday that could cause some problems.

"Some difficulties are likely to come in inter-Korean exchanges, including flows to and from the Kaesong Industrial Complex," he said.

Jeong added it could have negative effects on inter-Korean integration in the long-term.

South Korea too?
South Korea has made similar moves in the past. Its time zone was set at GMT+08:30 -- the new Pyongyang time -- between 1954 and 1961.

There have been proposals to move it back again over the past few years -- most recently in 2013.

Kim Jong Un and North Korea's military
55 photos: Kim Jong Un and North Korea's military
Defector-turned-ruling-party politician, Cho Myung-chol, introduced a bill in parliament to make the change.He told CNN resetting the time zone is part of regaining South Korea's sovereignty and getting rid of the remaining vestiges of Japanese imperialism.

South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman, Jeong Joon-hee says Seoul time is based on practical considerations and not on colonial history.

Cho admits experts advised him that the current system is more practical, and warned the half hour change could cause chaos and confusion.

But he likens the warnings to the Y2K doomsday scenarios that did not eventuate, and believes any confusion would be temporary.

Cho says his original proposal was for both North and South Korea to set their clocks back by 30 minutes, and intends to revive his push for a change in Seoul, following Pyongyang's announcement.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/07/asia/north-korea-time-zone/index.html

North Korea creates its own time zone - CNN.com

The hermit state is its own world in many ways. Now, it is getting its own time zone to match.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 20 at 2015 10:17 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 10:17:10 -0400

Let them they are all screwed up anyway.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 20 at 2015 10:24 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 10:24:39 -0400

Hey that just means we get to have a drink and celebrate Juche 105 30 minutes earlier on January 1... ;)

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2015 10:24 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 10:24:47 -0400

I liken North Korea to a spoiled kid in doing this. If they cant play with the toys and dont want to share, they are just going to pout and do their own thing while running home to cry to mommy.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Aug 20 at 2015 10:57 AM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 10:57:13 -0400

He could have at least made it a full hour... Sheesh...

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 20 at 2015 11:14 AM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 11:14:14 -0400

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2015 12:13 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 12:13:12 -0400

Let's all just go to Z time

Response by SGT Ronald Audas made Aug 20 at 2015 1:30 PM

SGT Ronald Audas — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:30:11 -0400

Hell ! I had trouble telling you what day it was, in Korea.

Response by SPC Dean J. Thompson made Aug 22 at 2015 12:03 PM

SPC Dean J. Thompson — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 12:03:44 -0400

Heck no. Don't let those pricks dictate anything.

Response by SPC Dean J. Thompson made Aug 22 at 2015 12:14 PM

SPC Dean J. Thompson — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 12:14:30 -0400

Hell No. We cannot let the North dictate policy in and around our AO. Sorry if I sound like an ass. But I hope that idiot dose attack and give us all a reason to wipe that prick and his cronies right off the face of the earth. I'm so done with that mommas boys emotional issues.

Response by SGT Eliyahu Rooff made Sep 5 at 2017 5:04 PM

SGT Eliyahu Rooff — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 17:04:25 -0400

Why would South Korea care what time they use in the north?