North Korea is a country notorious for being stuck smack dab in those crazy Cold War-soaked days of yore. Now, in a move to further separate itself from Japan and the other Korea to its south, the Kim Jong Un led government is setting out to create its own unique time zone.
According to the New York Times, Friday’s announcement regarding the new time zone — aptly titled “Pyongyang time” — will be set 30-minutes behind Japan and South Korea. The official change will go into effect on Aug. 15, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the country’s defeat against Japan during World War II.
Given the country’s disdain against Japan — who ruled the Korean Peninsula until said defeat — this announcement comes with its own rhetoric against the island nation as Friday’s news came with a statement from North Korea’s Central News Agency, saying, “The wicked Japanese imperialists committed such unpardonable crimes as depriving Korea of even its standard time.”
While the Japanese government gave no immediate response to the announcement, many are wondering why it took the country 70 years to make the shift. One reason was allegedly given by South Korean officials: “American troops stationed in Japan and South Korea would be using the same time if war broke out.”
(Via New York Times)