Seoul to launch discussion on reintroducing daylight saving time

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- The government will soon launch an in-depth study on
the benefits of using daylight saving time (DST) during the summer, as initial
studies showed the country could save billions of won annually from it, the
presidential office said Tuesday.

The idea will be discussed at a Cabinet meeting to be held later Tuesday, it said.
"The introduction of summer time (daylight saving time) is being reviewed to help
save energy, but also in the sense that it will help improve the quality of life
for our citizens by giving them an extra hour," a Cheong Wa Dae official told
reporters.
If introduced, the clock would set back by one hour from April to the end of
September.
The government is hoping to put daylight saving time into effect at the start of
2010, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"The government will decide by October whether to introduce the summer time
system, as we will need time to adjust the schedule of international flights, as
well as our financial, administrative and various commercial network systems," it
said.
Initial studies conducted by seven different institutes suggested that the
country could save over 136 billion won (US$110 million) per year in energy and
other costs, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"In addition to financial gains, daylight saving time will provide tremendous
social benefits by reducing the possibility of late night crimes, thus also
improving the people's lifestyle," it said in a released statement.
The country briefly enforced the system in the late 1980s, but the move to
reintroduce the system has been opposed by labor organizations, which claim it
will lead to an extension of working hours.
The government said its study on the effect of daylight saving time on working
hours when the system was used from 1987-1988 proved the claim groundless.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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