Seoul, South Korea — Amid a heat wave engulfing the Korean Peninsula, North Korean state media has recommended various foods as methods to combat the heat. These suggestions range from dog-meat soup to chicken broth, portraying leader Kim Jong Un as enduring similar challenges alongside the public.
On Thursday, state TV reported that the temperature in North Korea reached 36.7 degrees Celsius (98.1 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest recorded in the country’s history. With tropical nights accompanying the heat, media attention has focused on the hottest period of the year in North Korea, known as sambok or the dog days of summer.
Among notable recommendations is dog-meat soup, rooted in the traditional belief that it helps withstand summer heat. An Aug. 2 health article in the ruling party’s newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, quoted a doctor from Pyongyang General Hospital suggesting cooling foods like watermelon, cucumbers, and mung beans. The article also highlighted ‘nutritious foods’ such as dog-meat soup, fish porridge, and red-bean porridge.
Rodong Sinmun dedicated another feature to dog-meat soup, describing it as a customary summer dish. An old saying noted in the report mentioned that the soup, if spilled on one’s foot during summer, becomes ‘medicine.’ A national dog-meat cooking competition was also reported to have occurred earlier this year.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency praised samgyetang, a chicken soup with ginseng, glutinous rice, and jujubes. Reports indicate that Pyongyang restaurants draw customers seeking heat relief. Korean Central Television, during the week, aired health segments advising citizens on hydration, swimming, and exercising outdoors.
North Korea has not disclosed heat-related fatalities. In contrast, neighboring South Korea has reported over 20 heat-related deaths.
Amidst the health recommendations, state media has repeatedly emphasized propaganda portraying Kim’s resilience against the harsh weather faced by ordinary citizens. This week, Rodong Sinmun revisited an episode from 2013. During a summer inspection at a construction site, it was noted that Kim’s clothes were drenched with sweat. Despite being advised to avoid such activities in severe weather, Kim reportedly insisted, “even if the weather is unbearably hot, work that must be done for the people should be done.”
Additionally, the newspaper recounted Kim’s perseverance in 2018 through steep mountains and a torrential downpour to find a hot-spring resort site. It also highlighted his visit to a seafood factory during high temperatures, where he assessed the sweltering fermentation rooms.
There are no current details on Kim’s activities during the current heat wave. Meanwhile, state television broadcasts show crowded beaches and swimming pools at the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, a key tourism initiative. Also, reports suggest Pyongyang’s water parks are overflowing with visitors seeking cooling relief.