KST to CST Converter
Convert time between Korea Standard Time (KST) and Central Standard Time (CST)
Korea Standard Time (KST)
Central Standard Time (CST)
Time Difference
Central Standard Time (CST) is 0 hours ahead of Korea Standard Time (KST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| KST | CST |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | 20:00 |
| 13:00 | 22:00 |
| 15:00 | 00:00 |
| 17:00 | 02:00 |
| 19:00 | 04:00 |
| 21:00 | 06:00 |
| 23:00 | 08:00 |
| 01:00 | 10:00 |
| 03:00 | 12:00 |
| 05:00 | 14:00 |
| 07:00 | 16:00 |
| 09:00 | 18:00 |
Top 10 Most Common Time Zones
| Abbreviation | Full Name | UTC Offset | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC ±0 | Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs) |
| EST / EDT | Eastern (US) Time | UTC −5 / −4 | New York, Toronto — North American business hub |
| CST / CDT | Central (US) Time | UTC −6 / −5 | Chicago, Dallas — US central business region |
| PST / PDT | Pacific (US) Time | UTC −8 / −7 | San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard |
| GMT / BST | Greenwich Mean / British Summer Time | UTC 0 / +1 | UK, used globally as a reference with UTC |
| CET / CEST | Central European (Summer) Time | UTC +1 / +2 | Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC +5:30 | India — major IT & outsourcing region |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC +8 | Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC +9 | Tokyo — finance & tech hub |
| AEST / AEDT | Australian Eastern (Daylight) Time | UTC +10 / +11 | Sydney, Melbourne — APAC regional business |
Why Time Zone Abbreviations Are Ambiguous
Unlike standardized identifiers (like America/New_York or Europe/London from the IANA tz database), abbreviations such as "CST" or "IST" are not globally unique. They can refer to different time zones depending on context — country, region, or even time of year (due to daylight saving time).
Common Ambiguous Time Zone Abbreviations
| Abbrev. | Common Meaning(s) | UTC Offset | Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Central Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time | UTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5 | North America, China, Cuba |
| IST | Indian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard Time | UTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2 | India, Ireland, Israel |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard Time | UTC−4 / UTC+3 | Caribbean, Canada, Middle East |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard Time | UTC−8 / UTC+8 | North America, Philippines |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time (North America / Australia) | UTC−5 / UTC+10 | North America, Australia |
✅ Best Practice
To avoid ambiguity, always:
- Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g.,
America/New_Yorkinstead of "EST" - Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g.,
UTC−5when abbreviations must be used - Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset
Related Time Zone Conversions
About KST to CST Time Conversion
Converting time between Korea Standard Time (KST) and Central Standard Time (CST) is essential for South Korea to US Midwest coordination. KST is UTC+9 while CST is UTC-6, making KST 15 hours ahead of CST. Korea does not observe daylight saving time, so KST remains constant year-round. However, the US Central region observes daylight saving time, so the actual difference varies between 15 hours (when CST is active) and 14 hours (when CDT is active).
This conversion is crucial for business operations between South Korea and major Midwest cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Houston. Whether you're scheduling international meetings, coordinating between Seoul and Chicago, managing customer service operations, or coordinating with business partners across both regions, our accurate IANA-based converter ensures precise timezone calculations accounting for seasonal daylight saving changes.
Common Use Cases for KST to CST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling South Korea to US Central region business meetings
- Coordinating Seoul and Chicago corporate operations
- Managing global business operations between South Korea and Central USA
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel from South Korea to US Central region
- Coordinating with Midwest family and friends from Korea
- Scheduling virtual events for Korea-Central USA audiences
Time Zone Information
Korea Standard Time (KST)
- UTC Offset: UTC+9
- IANA Timezone: Asia/Seoul
- Daylight Saving: None - KST remains constant year-round
- Major Cities: Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon
- Coverage: All of South Korea
Central Standard Time (CST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-6
- IANA Timezone: America/Chicago
- Daylight Saving: First Sunday in November to Second Sunday in March
- Major Cities: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio
- Coverage: Central United States
Quick Reference: KST to CST
Remember: KST is always 15 hours ahead of CST, but becomes 14 hours when CDT is active (daylight saving time)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between KST and CST?
Korea Standard Time (KST) is UTC+9, while Central Standard Time (CST) is UTC-6. KST is 15 hours ahead of CST. This means when it's 8:00 AM in KST, it's 5:00 PM the previous day in CST.
Does Korea observe daylight saving time?
No, Korea does not observe daylight saving time. Korea Standard Time (KST) remains UTC+9 year-round. However, the US Central region observes daylight saving time, transitioning from CST (UTC-6) to CDT (UTC-5). This means the time difference varies between 15 hours (when CST is active) and 14 hours (when CDT is active).
What is the time difference during Central Daylight Time (CDT)?
When the US Central region observes Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-5) from mid-March to early November, the difference becomes 14 hours. During this period, when it's 8:00 AM KST, it would be 6:00 PM CDT the previous day. This is why it's important to verify whether CST or CDT is currently active.
What major cities are in KST and CST timezones?
KST covers major Korean cities including Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Daejeon, as well as all cities throughout South Korea. CST covers major Central US cities like Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
How do I convert KST to CST manually?
To convert from KST to CST, subtract 15 hours from the KST time. For example, if it's 9:00 AM KST, it would be 6:00 PM CST the previous day. Remember that the difference becomes 14 hours when the US Central region observes CDT (daylight saving time).
What should I know about scheduling across KST and CST?
Korea is 14-15 hours ahead of the US Central region, with very limited overlap. Morning KST times (8-10 AM) correspond to evening CST times (5-7 PM previous day), while afternoon KST (2-4 PM) corresponds to morning CST (11 AM-1 PM). Scheduling requires careful coordination to find mutually acceptable times for both regions.
Pro Tips
- • KST is always 15 hours ahead of CST - but becomes 14 hours when CDT is active (March-November).
- • Korea does not observe daylight saving time, so KST is consistent year-round while CST/CDT changes twice annually.
- • Morning KST (8-10 AM) equals evening CST (5-7 PM previous day), offering reasonable business hours overlap for communication.
- • Afternoon KST (2-4 PM) corresponds to morning CST (11 AM-1 PM), making meetings feasible with proper scheduling.
- • Use 24-hour time format when communicating across KST-CST to eliminate AM/PM confusion across the day boundary.
- • Between March and November, remember the 14-hour difference when CST transitions to CDT due to daylight saving time.