North Koreans encouraged to eat nutritious 'dog-meat soup' during sweltering summer heat - Here's why

North Korea’s state media has promoted 'dog-meat soup' as one of the traditional foods people can eat during the sweltering summer heat. The recommendation comes as temperatures across the Korean Peninsula have soared, with Pyongyang recording temperatures as high as 36.7°C (98.1°F). According to Reuters, the ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, described dog-meat soup as a nutritious food and a traditional summer dish believed to help restore stamina. Other foods highlighted in the advice included watermelon, cucumbers, fish porridge and mung beans.

As a series of unusually warm nights gripped the country, North Korean state media placed renewed focus on 'sambok', the period traditionally associated with the hottest stretch of summer. In a health article published on August 2, as quoted by the news agency, the newspaper cited a doctor from Pyongyang General Hospital who recommended foods believed to help people cope with the heat. The suggestions included cooling foods along with nutrient-rich dishes such as dog-meat soup, fish porridge and red-bean porridge.

The newspaper also published a separate article highlighting dog-meat soup, portraying it as a longstanding summer tradition. It referenced an old saying that suggests the dish has almost medicinal value during the hottest days of the year, reflecting the traditional belief that it can help restore strength and stamina during the summer heat.


According to Reuters, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has also highlighted samgyetang, a traditional chicken soup prepared with ingredients such as ginseng, glutinous rice and jujubes. The agency reported that restaurants in Pyongyang have been drawing diners looking for ways to cope with the intense summer temperatures.

Korean Central Television has meanwhile devoted airtime to heat-related health advice, including recommendations on staying hydrated and guidance on activities such as swimming and exercising outdoors during hot weather, the agency reported.

North Korean authorities have not published figures on deaths linked to the ongoing heat. In neighboring South Korea, however, officials have reported more than 20 heat-related fatalities.