North Korea Heatwave Spurs State Media Dog Soup Push
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
North Korea’s state media has responded to an intense summer heatwave by issuing unusual public dietary advice, including recommendations for dog meat soup and ginseng chicken soup . Official reports said temperatures in several areas rose above 40 degrees Celsius, while another report said North Korea recorded 36.7 degrees on Thursday, the highest temperature on record there . The messaging combines health guidance, traditional food culture and political propaganda around leader Kim Jong Un’s image during extreme weather .
Key Points
- Rodong Sinmun published a health feature on Sunday, 2 August, citing Pyongyang hospital doctors who recommended watermelon, cucumber, mung beans and other cooling foods .
- The same coverage also promoted dog meat soup, fish porridge and red bean porridge as nutritious summer foods, with dog soup described as a traditional seasonal dish .
- A separate Rodong Sinmun article praised dog meat soup’s medicinal value, quoting a proverb that even in midsummer heat it could act like medicine .
- KCNA reported on Wednesday, 5 August, that people should drink ginseng chicken soup in Kaesong, invoking the traditional “fight heat with heat” belief .
- North Korean media also revisited Kim Jong Un’s past inspections of construction sites and factories in extreme heat, portraying him as sharing hardship with citizens .
Why It Matters
The episode highlights how North Korea is framing a dangerous heatwave through a mix of traditional remedies, food messaging and leader-centered propaganda rather than detailed public-health disclosure . It also draws attention to the country’s vulnerability to extreme heat, with outside analysts warning that weak electricity supply, limited cooling access and chronic malnutrition could worsen health risks beyond Pyongyang .