'Summer time'

By Park Moo-jong

When it comes to summertime, people must think of the sizzling heat, especially the unprecedented one of this year, and music lovers may be reminded of "Summertime" from George Gershwin's 1935 opera "Porgy and Bess."

Then, how about "summer time?"

Summer time is quite different from summertime as most of our readers must know well.

Summer time is generally referred to as daylight saving time (DST) in the U.S. Many Asian countries use the "easy" term, though they do not observe it now.

As is well known, DST is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from standard time during the summer months, and back again in the fall, in order to make better use of natural daylight.

Most areas in North America, Europe and some in the Middle East observe it, while most African and Asian countries do not.

A leading Korean newspaper carried a noticeable report about Japan's possible introduction of summer time during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics: A public poll found 51 percent supported it, while 12 percent opposed and 29 percent had no idea.

Following the survey, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe immediately directed his ruling Liberal Democratic Party to give positive consideration to the introduction of the system, according to the news story.

Japan observed DST for four years from 1948 after World War II and is considering it 70 years later due to the choking heat wave, which Korea is also suffering from. If global warming continues over the coming years, the Tokyo Games to be held in July and August is certain to take a big hit. Japan has every motive to seriously consider it.

In Korea, summer time was established on May 31, 1948, by the then U.S. military government and abolished in 1961 by the 2nd Republic Government, which was inaugurated the previous year when the April 19 Students' Revolution toppled the 1st Republic of President Syngman Rhee.

After a 26-year absence, it was re-implemented in May 1987 ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics held in September and October and discontinued again two years later due to the "people's opposition," irrespective of its merits or demerits.

At that time, the government of President Chun Doo-hwan told the people that the observation of the formula was to help people use more daylight, even though it was necessary for live U.S. broadcasting of Olympic events popular among Americans such as track and field.

Nine years later in 1997, the Ministry of Commerce, Energy and Industry under the Kim Young-sam administration again sought to implement the system between the end of May and the end of September, starting the following year, in a bid to save energy and expand people's leisure hours, to no avail due to the strong opposition of some ministries.

The education and government administration ministries argued that daylight saving time would disturb the rhythm of public servants and students and eventually result in an "extension of working hours."

Twelve years later in 2009, the Lee Myung-bak government considered the formula, in vain, for energy conservation and effective use of daylight. Since then, the issue has been shelved with no one paying particular attention to it any more.

The sun rose at 5:49 a.m. this morning and will set at 7:24 p.m. this evening. Daylight saving time makes the sun set one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This initially means that less electricity is used for lighting and appliances late in the day. People can also do more outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours.

What foiled the government's plan in 2009 was the public concern that "we are not supposed to leave work in broad daylight, and night overtime may get longer, instead."

Advancing clocks by one hour surely causes many inconveniences and confusion. One who is used to getting up at 6 a.m. has to rise one hour earlier for work. It certainly disturbs biological rhythms.

But more than 70 countries, including most OECD member nations, are using the system because of its positive effects. Even at 8 p.m. under summer time, people who leave work at 5 p.m. have enough time to do something leisurely before it gets dark.

Times have changed. Korea is strictly applying the 9 to 5 formula for the compulsory 52 working hours a week, starting July, allowing workers to have more time to do something in the daylight.

In particular, the globe is getting warmer year by year as proved by this year's record heat wave in this part of the world, forcing people to use more power in the operation of air-conditioners and other cooling devices. The government's "bizarre" policy to halt nuclear power production is adding fuel to the fire.

There is no reason for the government to consider re-introducing the system ― that is expected to help boost tourism, sports and cultural activities and the economy. Overcoming the "disorder in biological rhythms" that may come from getting up one hour earlier totally depends on an individual's routine.

Even jetlag can be overcome in less than a week these days. We should think twice about why advanced countries are enjoying daylight saving time in defiance of its negative effects.

Park Moo-jong (emjei29@gmail.com) is a standing adviser of The Korea Times. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English daily newspaper from 2004 to 2014 after working as a reporter since 1974.