{
  "id": 251090,
  "title": "North Koreans urged to beat record heat with dog-meat soup",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/north-koreans-urged-to-beat-record-heat-with-dog-meat-soup",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T05:38:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/07/north-koreans-urged-to-beat-record-heat-with-dog-meat-soup"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As the Korean Peninsula experiences a heat wave, North Korean state media has suggested consuming dog-meat soup and other cooling dishes to combat the sweltering temperatures. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Pyongyang restaurants have been drawing customers in search of relief from the heat. State television has also highlighted Kim Jong Un's resilience in enduring harsh conditions, citing his willingness to work during extreme heat. The newspaper Rodong Sinmun featured a doctor's advice on cooling foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, and mung beans, alongside traditional dog-meat soup and other nutritious dishes. The newspaper even revived an old saying about the medicinal properties of dog-meat soup during the dog days of summer. Kim Jong Un's dedication to working in tough weather was also emphasized, with accounts of his summer inspection of a construction site and a 2018 trip to a hot-spring resort, where temperatures reached 39C. While North Korea has not released data on heat-related deaths, neighboring South Korea has reported over 20 fatalities connected to the heat wave.",
  "summary": "State media also portrays leader Kim Jong Un enduring harsh conditions alongside his people as temperatures hit 36.7C.",
  "key_points": [
    "North Korea experiences heat wave.",
    "Dog-meat soup recommended for cooling.",
    "Kim Jong Un works in extreme heat."
  ],
  "editors_take": "North Korean media promoting traditional cooling foods like dog-meat soup reflects an effort to showcase the leadership's resilience and provide relief to citizens coping with the heat wave.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}