North Koreans Advised to Eat Dog Meat Soup Amid Severe Heatwave

North Korean authorities are issuing stark warnings as a severe heatwave grips the region, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. Officials fear the prolonged high temperatures could strain healthcare systems, power grids, and agricultural output.

In response, a senior doctor from Pyongyang's central hospital offered advice published in the ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. The doctor emphasized minimizing body temperature and recommended hydrating with watermelons, grapes, cucumbers, and melons. For protein, the advice included fish, red beans, and the traditional dish dongchimi, or dog meat soup.

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The fundamental principle of healthcare in hot weather is to try to reduce body temperature at all costs.

"If the body lacks protein, immunity weakens and appetite decreases," the doctor explained. Dog meat soup, known as bosintang in South Korea, has historically been associated with combating summer heat, believed to restore energy lost to the sweltering weather. However, its popularity has plummeted in South Korea over recent decades, particularly among younger generations concerned with animal welfare.

A law passed in South Korea in 2024 explicitly bans the breeding, slaughtering, distribution, and sale of dogs for human consumption, with a three-year grace period ending in February 2027. This contrasts sharply with the continued, albeit declining, tradition in North Korea, underscoring a significant cultural divergence on the practice.

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If the body lacks protein, immunity weakens and appetite decreases.