North Korea is experiencing abnormal heat: authorities recommend dog meat soup
Amid the extreme heat gripping the Korean Peninsula, North Korean state media are publishing recommendations on how to survive the abnormally high temperatures.
In reports by local outlets, traditional ways of coping with the heat include dishes made from dog meat, chicken soup with ginseng, and other foods that are said to help the body cope with high temperatures.
On Thursday, North Korean state television reported that the air temperature had reached 36.7 degrees Celsius. According to the broadcaster, this is the highest figure recorded in the country since regular meteorological observations began.
The prolonged heat has been accompanied by a series of tropical nights, when temperatures remain high even after sunset. Against this backdrop, state media have begun to talk far more often about the sambok period, which in Korean tradition is associated with the hottest part of the summer and literally means "the dog days of summer."
One of the most unusual pieces of advice from North Korean media has been to eat dog meat soup. In the country, this dish is traditionally associated with the summer period and is considered suitable for restoring strength during intense heat.
On August 2, Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, published an article about nutrition in hot weather, in which it cited recommendations from a doctor at the Pyongyang Central Hospital. The specialist advised including foods with a high liquid content in one's diet, in particular watermelons, cucumbers, and mung beans. At the same time, the list of nutritious dishes included dog meat soup, fish porridge, and red bean porridge.
The publication devoted separate attention to dog meat soup, presenting it as part of traditional cuisine. The article also cited an old Korean saying, according to which even hot soup spilled on one's foot on the hottest summer days can turn into medicine. In addition, the newspaper reported that earlier this year a nationwide competition on preparing dog meat dishes was held in North Korea.
At the same time, the North Korean authorities have not yet disclosed information about the possible number of deaths linked to the abnormal heat. In neighboring South Korea, by contrast, official data point to more than 20 fatalities that are attributed to the effects of the high temperatures.
Source: NBC
