North Korea battles heatwave with dog soup

North Korea is highlighting traditional foods, health advice and leisure activities as an intense heatwave sweeps across the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea is highlighting traditional foods, health advice and leisure activities as an intense heatwave sweeps across the Korean Peninsula.

State media reported that temperatures in the country reached 36.7°C, the highest recorded since modern weather observations began. The extreme heat has also brought a series of unusually warm nights.

With the hottest period of summer underway, North Korean media has focused heavily on ways for people to stay cool and maintain their health.

One of the recommendations receiving particular attention is dog-meat soup. State media described the dish as a traditional summer food and promoted a long-standing belief that it can help people cope with extreme heat.

Other foods recommended by state media include watermelon, cucumbers, mung beans, fish porridge and red-bean porridge. Chicken soup prepared with ginseng, sticky rice and dates has also been promoted as a popular summer meal.

Health programmes on North Korean television have urged people to remain hydrated and take precautions while swimming or exercising outdoors.

The country has not released figures on deaths linked to the current heatwave. South Korea, meanwhile, has reported more than 20 heat-related deaths.

North Korean state media has also used the extreme weather to highlight leader Kim Jong Un’s image as a leader who shares difficult conditions with ordinary citizens.

A recent report recalled a 2013 visit by Kim to a construction site during hot weather. The report said his clothes became soaked with sweat during the inspection.

According to the account, Kim insisted that important work for the people should continue despite the heat.

State media also highlighted other past inspections in difficult weather conditions. These included a trip through mountainous terrain during heavy rain and a visit to a seafood factory where temperatures were reportedly around 39°C.

There has been no detailed report on Kim’s activities during the current heatwave.

Meanwhile, state television has shown large crowds visiting beaches, swimming pools and water parks to escape the extreme temperatures.

Thousands of people have reportedly visited the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, one of Kim’s major tourism projects on the country’s eastern coast.