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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| North Korea's new time zone to break from 'imperialism' | North Korea's new time zone to break from 'imperialism' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| North Korea is to switch to a new time zone to mark its liberation from the Japanese at the end of World War Two, says state media. | North Korea is to switch to a new time zone to mark its liberation from the Japanese at the end of World War Two, says state media. |
| North Korea is currently in the same time zone as South Korea and Japan, which are nine hours ahead of GMT. | North Korea is currently in the same time zone as South Korea and Japan, which are nine hours ahead of GMT. |
| But Pyongyang Time will see the clocks put back by 30 minutes on 15 August. | But Pyongyang Time will see the clocks put back by 30 minutes on 15 August. |
| State news agency KCNA said "wicked Japanese imperialists" had "deprived Korea of even its standard time" by changing the clocks during occupation. | State news agency KCNA said "wicked Japanese imperialists" had "deprived Korea of even its standard time" by changing the clocks during occupation. |
| The entire Korean peninsula - then one country - was 8.5 hours ahead of GMT until Japan colonised it in 1910. | The entire Korean peninsula - then one country - was 8.5 hours ahead of GMT until Japan colonised it in 1910. |
| Read more: How time zones confused the world | Read more: How time zones confused the world |
| KCNA quoted officials as saying the decision to adopt Pyongyang Time reflected "the unshakeable faith and will of the service personnel and people on the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation". | |
| South Korea said the move could cause some short-term inconvenience at the Kaesong industrial plant in North Korea, jointly run by the two Koreas. | South Korea said the move could cause some short-term inconvenience at the Kaesong industrial plant in North Korea, jointly run by the two Koreas. |
| "And in the longer term, there may be some fallout for efforts to unify standards and reduce differences between the two sides," Unification Ministry official Jeong Joon-Hee said. | "And in the longer term, there may be some fallout for efforts to unify standards and reduce differences between the two sides," Unification Ministry official Jeong Joon-Hee said. |
| 'Fair share of sunshine' | 'Fair share of sunshine' |
| There is no international body that approves a country's change of time zone as countries decide for themselves. | There is no international body that approves a country's change of time zone as countries decide for themselves. |
| In 2011, Samoa changed its time zone to the other side of the international dateline, losing one day, so as to make communication easier with neighbours Australia and New Zealand. | In 2011, Samoa changed its time zone to the other side of the international dateline, losing one day, so as to make communication easier with neighbours Australia and New Zealand. |
| And North Korea is not the only country that has created its own unique time zone. | And North Korea is not the only country that has created its own unique time zone. |
| In 2007, Venezuela decided to turn its clocks back by half an hour as President Hugo Chavez wanted to have a "more fair distribution of the sunrise" to residents. | In 2007, Venezuela decided to turn its clocks back by half an hour as President Hugo Chavez wanted to have a "more fair distribution of the sunrise" to residents. |
| Venezuela is now the only country with a time zone 4.5 hours behind GMT. | Venezuela is now the only country with a time zone 4.5 hours behind GMT. |