Story perspectives

North Korea Promotes Dog-Meat Soup During Record 36.7°C Heat

8/7/2026

Summary

North Korea Promotes Soup

North Koreans' state media promoted dog-meat soup as heat relief and noted a record 36.7 °C (98.1 °F) in Pyongyang.
State TV showed thousands at beaches, pools and water parks in Wonsan, Kalma and Pyongyang.
South Korea reported over 20 heat-related deaths while North Koreans gave no figures.
Experts said chronic power shortages limit air-conditioning and fans, making the heat especially hard for many North Koreans.

Summary

North Korea Dog-Soup

North Koreans promote dog-meat soup amid protein shortages from sanctions and failing agriculture.
A state-run restaurant and a 2020 cooking contest made the soup a nationalist symbol.
Officials say the soup’s price is unaffordable for most citizens lacking other meat.
South Korea’s 2024 dog-meat ban, with a grace period ending February 2027, contrasts Pyongyang’s policy.
Analysts compare the shift to African regions where climate shocks force unconventional protein use.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 famine, part of North Korea’s “Arduous March,” devastated Hamhung—Andrew Natsios called it the most affected city, with reports of over 10 % mortality and another 10 % fleeing. Earlier, the city had been 80–90 % destroyed in Korean War air raids and rebuilt from 1955-1962 by East German experts. The legacy of food scarcity still shapes regional policy debates.

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North Korea Promotes Soup

North Koreans' state media promoted dog-meat soup as heat relief and noted a record 36.7 °C (98.1 °F) in Pyongyang.
State TV showed thousands at beaches, pools and water parks in Wonsan, Kalma and Pyongyang.
South Korea reported over 20 heat-related deaths while North Koreans gave no figures.
Experts said chronic power shortages limit air-conditioning and fans, making the heat especially hard for many North Koreans.

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