Does it account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, our converter uses the IANA timezone database, which includes all current DST rules for every timezone in the world.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC.

Can I compare multiple timezones at once?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or timezones and see the equivalent times side by side.

How many timezones are there in the world?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. This includes half-hour (UTC+5:30 India, UTC+9:30 Australia) and 45-minute offsets (UTC+5:45 Nepal, UTC+8:45 Australia).

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) runs roughly along the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it westward, you gain a day; crossing eastward, you lose a day.

Why do some timezones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best matched their solar noon. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal uses UTC+5:45 because standard hourly offsets didn't align well with their geography.

Which country has the most timezones?

France has the most (12 timezones) due to overseas territories. Russia spans 11 timezones. The US has 6 (including Hawaii and Alaska).

COT to KST

+14h

COT

COTSOURCE

UTC-05:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

KST

UTC+09:00

HH02

MM00

(next day)02:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

COT

KST

12:00 AM

2:00 PM

2:00 AM

4:00 PM

4:00 AM

6:00 PM

6:00 AM

8:00 PM

8:00 AM

10:00 PM

10:00 AM

12:00 AM+1

12:00 PM

2:00 AM+1

2:00 PM

4:00 AM+1

4:00 PM

6:00 AM+1

6:00 PM

8:00 AM+1

8:00 PM

10:00 AM+1

10:00 PM

12:00 PM+1

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

COT and KST on the World Map

The map below highlights the COT (Colombia Time) and KST (Korea Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.

COT Zone

→

KST Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

COT – Colombia Time

UTC-05:00

Colombia Time (COT) is the standard time for Colombia, 5 hours behind UTC.

Countries in COT

Colombia

Major Cities in COT

BogotáMedellínCaliBarranquillaCartagena

Key Facts about COT

•Colombia does not observe daylight saving time.
•COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
•Bogotá sits at 2,640m elevation, making it one of the highest capital cities.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC-05:00 year-round

Learn more about COT on Wikipedia

KST – Korea Standard Time

UTC+09:00

Korea Standard Time (KST) is the time zone for South Korea, 9 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in KST

South KoreaNorth Korea

Major Cities in KST

SeoulBusanIncheonDaeguDaejeonPyongyang

Key Facts about KST

•South Korea does not observe daylight saving time.
•Seoul is home to Samsung, LG, and Hyundai headquarters.
•KST is the same offset as JST (UTC+09:00).

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+09:00 year-round

Learn more about KST on Wikipedia

COT vs KST: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times

COT runs on Colombia Time (COT) at UTC-05:00. KST runs on Korea Standard Time (KST) at UTC+09:00. That puts COT 14 hours ahead of KST — a difference of +14h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in COT it is 11:00 PM in KST. Midnight in COT is 2:00 PM in KST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

COT to KST time conversion table

COT (COT)	KST (KST)	Day
12:00 AM	2:00 PM	same day
6:00 AM	8:00 PM	same day
7:00 AM	9:00 PM	same day
8:00 AM	10:00 PM	same day
9:00 AM	11:00 PM	same day
12:00 PM	2:00 AM	next day
3:00 PM	5:00 AM	next day
5:00 PM	7:00 AM	next day
6:00 PM	8:00 AM	next day
9:00 PM	11:00 AM	next day

Why people convert COT to KST time

Scheduling a call from COT to KST: a 10:00 AM start in COT lands at 12:00 AM in KST the next day, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Handling a +14h gap: COT and KST have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in KST is 11:00 PM in COT.
Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in COT is 10:00 AM in KST makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM COT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +14h gap is not.
With a +14h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week COT takes the early slot, the next week KST does.

About COT (Colombia Time)

Colombia Time (COT) is used throughout Colombia. Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT shares the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00). Bogotá, the capital, is one of the largest cities in South America.

About KST (Korea Standard Time)

Korea Standard Time (KST) is the time zone used in South Korea. It shares the same UTC offset as Japan Standard Time but is a distinct time zone. South Korea does not observe daylight saving time. Seoul, the capital, is a major global tech and business hub.

Best time to call between COT and KST

With a +14h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. KST opens at 9:00 AM KST, which is 11:00 PM in COT, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.

Business hours overlap

COT and KST have no shared working hours because of the +14h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.

COT is 14 hours ahead of KST (COT UTC-05:00 → KST UTC+09:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

Learn More About Time

Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between COT and KST?

COT (COT, UTC-05:00) is 14 hours ahead of KST (KST, UTC+09:00). The gap is currently +14h.

How do I convert COT time to KST time?

Add +14h to COT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in COT is 11:00 PM in KST.

What time is it in KST right now?

KST uses KST at UTC+09:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +14h offset from COT.