Seoul runs on UTC+9 (KST) every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
Seoul and your time
Seoul at a glance
| Country | South Korea |
|---|---|
| Region | Seoul |
| Capital of | South Korea |
| Time zone | Asia/Seoul |
| Abbreviation now | KST |
| UTC offset now | UTC+9 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 1988 |
| Coordinates | 37.57° N, 126.98° E |
Time zone in Seoul
Local time in Seoul is UTC+9 year round, under the Asia/Seoul rules. Daylight saving time was used in the past, most recently in 1988, and no future change is scheduled.
Seoul is the capital, and all of South Korea keeps this time.
Clock changes in Seoul, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Seoul for 2026 or 2027.
How far ahead or behind Seoul is
Take 9:00 AM in Seoul: the clock reads 7:00 PM (previous day) in New York, 11:00 AM in Sydney and 4:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 14 h behind | 14 h behind | 13 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 17 h behind | 17 h behind | 16 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 9 h behind | 9 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 7 h behind | None |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 5 h behind | 5 h behind | 5 h behind | 3 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 3 h 30 min behind | 3 h 30 min behind | 3 h 30 min behind | 4 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 7 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | Same time | Same time | Same time | 8 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 6 h |
| UTC | --:-- | 9 h behind | 9 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
Because Seoul keeps one offset all year, any change in the gap comes from the other city’s daylight saving time. Compare the January and July columns.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Daylight in Seoul
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Over the year, daylight in Seoul grows from 9 hours 34 minutes to 14 hours 46 minutes and back, a swing of 5 hours 12 minutes.
Daylight through the year in Seoul
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:36 AM | 6:44 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:11 AM | 7:57 PM | 14 h 46 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:20 AM | 6:28 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| December solstice | December 22 | 7:43 AM | 5:18 PM | 9 h 34 min |
Clock time and sun time in Seoul
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Seoul: solar noon falls at about 12:30 PM on standard time.
Cities near Seoul
All the places listed below keep the same time as Seoul.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incheon | 27 km (17 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Hwado | 31 km (19 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Yangju | 31 km (19 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Suwon | 32 km (20 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Hwaseong | 42 km (26 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Osan | 47 km (29 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Icheon | 52 km (32 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Kaesong (North Korea) | 58 km (36 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
More cities in South Korea
All time zones and cities in South Korea
Plan around the time in Seoul
- Convert a time to or from Seoul: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Seoul to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Seoul and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Seoul in?
Seoul uses the Asia/Seoul time zone, which is UTC+9 (KST) all year.
Does Seoul use daylight saving time?
Not any more. Seoul last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 1988 and now stays on UTC+9 all year.
What is the time difference between Seoul and New York?
Seoul is 14 hours ahead of New York in January and 13 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Seoul does not.
How long is the longest day in Seoul?
About 14 hours 46 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 9 hours 34 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.