KST to UTC Converter
Convert time between Korea Standard Time (KST) and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Korea Standard Time (KST)
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Time Difference
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is 0 hours ahead of Korea Standard Time (KST)
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Select Time
Quick Reference
| KST | UTC |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | 02:00 |
| 13:00 | 04:00 |
| 15:00 | 06:00 |
| 17:00 | 08:00 |
| 19:00 | 10:00 |
| 21:00 | 12:00 |
| 23:00 | 14:00 |
| 01:00 | 16:00 |
| 03:00 | 18:00 |
| 05:00 | 20:00 |
| 07:00 | 22:00 |
| 09:00 | 00:00 |
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 UTC Time Conversion
Converting time between Korea Standard Time (KST) and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is essential for international coordination and global business operations. KST is UTC+9, making KST 9 hours ahead of UTC. Korea does not observe daylight saving time, so KST remains constant year-round at UTC+9. Since UTC is the global standard for timekeeping and does not observe daylight saving time, the conversion is straightforward and consistent throughout the year.
This conversion is crucial for businesses conducting operations across multiple time zones, international teams managing projects, system administrators coordinating server operations, and travelers planning itineraries. Whether you're scheduling international conferences, coordinating global software deployments, managing 24/7 support teams, or simply understanding server timestamps, our accurate IANA-based converter ensures precise timezone calculations.
Common Use Cases for KST to UTC Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling international business meetings and conference calls
- Coordinating global software development and deployment operations
- Managing international customer service and support teams
Personal & Travel
- Planning international travel and flight bookings
- Coordinating with international family and friends
- Understanding server timestamps and log file timestamps
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
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
- UTC Offset: UTC±0
- IANA Timezone: UTC
- Daylight Saving: None - UTC is constant year-round
- Major Cities: Universal standard, not tied to specific locations
- Coverage: International standard for global timekeeping
Quick Reference: KST to UTC
Remember: KST is always 9 hours ahead of UTC, making conversions straightforward and consistent year-round
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between KST and UTC?
Korea Standard Time (KST) is UTC+9, making it 9 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This means when it's 12:00 PM (noon) in KST, it's 3:00 AM in UTC. KST is always 9 hours ahead of UTC throughout the year.
Does Korea observe daylight saving time?
No, Korea does not observe daylight saving time. Korea Standard Time (KST) remains UTC+9 year-round. Additionally, UTC does not observe daylight saving time either, as it is the international standard for timekeeping. This means the conversion between KST and UTC is consistent and straightforward throughout the year with no seasonal adjustments needed.
Why is UTC important?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the international standard for timekeeping and serves as the basis for the world's official timekeeping system. It is used by the military, aviation, shipping, emergency services, and the internet. All other time zones are defined in relation to UTC. Understanding KST to UTC conversion is essential for international coordination.
What major cities are in KST timezone?
Korea Standard Time covers all of South Korea, including major cities such as Seoul (the capital), Busan (major port city), Incheon (location of the main international airport), Daegu, and Daejeon. KST is used exclusively throughout South Korea with no regional variations.
How do I convert KST to UTC manually?
To convert from KST to UTC, subtract 9 hours from the KST time. For example, if it's 6:00 PM (18:00) KST, subtract 9 hours to get 9:00 AM (09:00) UTC. This simple 9-hour subtraction works consistently year-round without daylight saving adjustments.
What should I know about using UTC timestamps?
UTC timestamps are commonly used in computer systems, server logs, and international applications. When you see a timestamp marked as "UTC" or "GMT," it represents the international standard time. To convert UTC timestamps to KST, simply add 9 hours. This is important when analyzing logs from international servers or coordinating with global teams.
Pro Tips
- • KST is always 9 hours ahead of UTC - a fixed difference that never changes due to daylight saving time.
- • UTC is also known as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), though technically GMT is a time zone while UTC is the standard.
- • When reading server logs or computer timestamps marked as UTC, add 9 hours to quickly estimate the Korean time.
- • For international business coordination, UTC times are often used to avoid daylight saving time confusion.
- • Aviation, shipping, and military operations worldwide use UTC as the standard, making KST to UTC conversion critical for these industries.
- • The simple 9-hour offset makes KST to UTC conversion one of the easiest timezone conversions to calculate manually.