Current Time in KST (Korea Standard Time)
About KST
The standard time in South Korea, observed year-round. South Korea does not currently observe daylight saving time. It shares the same offset as Japan Standard Time (JST).
UTC Offset: +09:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Asia/Pyongyang
Korea Standard Time (KST): A Complete Guide
Korea Standard Time (KST) is the time zone observed in both North and South Korea. It is 9 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+09:00) and does not observe daylight saving time. The abbreviation KST stands for Korea Standard Time.
What is Korea Standard Time?
Korea Standard Time (KST) is the official time zone for the Korean Peninsula, covering both South Korea (Republic of Korea) and North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea). The offset is UTC+09:00, meaning it is 9 hours ahead of UTC. Unlike many countries, Korea does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset remains constant year-round.
IANA Time Zone Database
The IANA time zone database includes three entries for KST: Asia/Seoul (used primarily for South Korea), Asia/Pyongyang (used for North Korea), and ROK (an alias for Asia/Seoul). These zones all share the same UTC offset and DST rules (none).
Regions and Major Cities
- South Korea: Seoul (capital), Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Suwon, Ulsan.
- North Korea: Pyongyang (capital), Hamhung, Chongjin, Nampo, Wonsan, Sinuiju.
How KST Differs from Neighboring Zones
KST is one hour ahead of Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+09:00) โ wait, JST is also UTC+09:00. Actually, KST and JST share the same offset. The key difference is with China Standard Time (CST, UTC+08:00), which is one hour behind KST. For example, when it is 12:00 noon in Seoul, it is 11:00 AM in Beijing. Similarly, KST is two hours ahead of Indochina Time (ICT, UTC+07:00) used in Thailand and Vietnam.
Business Hours Guidance
Standard business hours in South Korea are typically 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM KST, Monday through Friday, with a lunch break around 12:00โ1:00 PM. Many companies also work half-days on Saturdays, though a five-day workweek is common. For international calls, the best overlap with US Eastern Time (EST, UTC-05:00) is from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST (9:00 PM to 1:00 AM KST). With Western Europe (CET, UTC+01:00), overlap is from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM CET (4:00 PM to 12:00 AM KST). Avoid calling during Korean lunch hours or after 6:00 PM local time.
Historical Note
North Korea briefly used a different time zone (UTC+08:30) from August 2015 to May 2018, but then reverted to KST to align with South Korea for inter-Korean cooperation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Korea observe daylight saving time?
No, neither South Korea nor North Korea observes daylight saving time. KST remains at UTC+09:00 year-round.
What is the time difference between KST and JST (Japan Standard Time)?
There is no difference. Both KST and JST are UTC+09:00, so they share the same local time.
Is Pyongyang time the same as Seoul time?
What is the time difference between KST and China Standard Time?
KST is one hour ahead of China Standard Time (CST, UTC+08:00). For example, if it is 10:00 AM in Seoul, it is 9:00 AM in Beijing.
How do I convert KST to my local time?
Determine your UTC offset, then add or subtract the difference. For example, if you are in New York (EST, UTC-05:00), KST is 14 hours ahead. When it is 12:00 PM EST, it is 2:00 AM the next day in Seoul.
What are the IANA time zone names for Korea?
The IANA database includes Asia/Seoul (South Korea), Asia/Pyongyang (North Korea), and ROK (an alias for Asia/Seoul).