PYONGYANG: North Korea has switched to a new time zone, turning its clocks back by 30 minutes to mark its liberation from the Japanese at the end of WW2.
Bells rang out in the capital Pyongyang at midnight on Friday as the new time zone came into effect.
Previously, both Koreas and Japan shared the same time zone, nine hours ahead of GMT, which was established under Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule.
North Korea’s decision to change its time zone, announced last week, came as a surprise even to South Korea, whose president criticized Pyongyang for not coordinating the move with Seoul.
But the effort to erase the legacy of the colonial period resonates with many Koreans on both sides of the Demilitarized Zone who remember the harsh rule of the Japanese and continue to harbor deep resentment toward Tokyo.
