The North created its own time zone in 2015, turning back the clocks by 30 minutes to defy Japanese colonial legacy. The decision to return to the same time is one of the many symbolic highlights of the historic Friday summit between North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The state-run KCNA agency reported that Kim said it was a “painful wrench” for him to see the two clocks hanging above the negotiation table at ‘Peace Village’ in Panmunjeom showing a different time.
The gesture should pave the way for rapprochement between the North and the South, and serve as “the first practical step for national reconciliation and unity,” according to Kim, as cited by KCNA.
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