# North Korea heatwave food promotion > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/north-korea-heatwave-food-campaign > Updated: 2026-08-09T15:04:00.000Z. Sources: 46. Developments: 3. In early August 2026, North Korean state media urged citizens to eat dog‑meat soup as a traditional remedy for record‑breaking summer heat, citing medical advice that the dish could help prevent heat‑related illnesses. The campaign highlighted the dish’s cultural status, specialized restaurants, and a national cooking competition, and contrasted the recommendation with South Korea’s recent ban on dog meat. Rodong Sinmun and KCNA later listed other cooling foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, and mung beans, and reiterated the competition, quoting a proverb that the soup becomes medicine if it spills on one’s foot during the “dog days” of summer. A doctor from Pyongyang General Hospital recommended the same cooling foods and “nutritious” options including dog‑meat soup, fish porridge, and red‑bean porridge. The coverage portrayed Kim Jong Un as sharing citizens’ hardship, recalling his 2013 summer site inspection despite intense heat. On 7 August 2026, Pyongyang recorded a high of 36.7 °C, the hottest on record for the capital, while temperatures elsewhere in the country approached 40 °C. South Korean authorities reported more than 20 heat‑related deaths and a national high of 42.5 °C. North Korean officials did not release domestic heat‑related mortality figures. KCNA also praised samgyetang, a ginseng‑filled chicken soup, as a heat‑relief dish. By 9 August 2026, as temperatures on the peninsula reached up to 42.5 °C, state media continued promoting ‘dangogi guk’ (dog meat soup) and ‘samgyetang’ as nutritional supplements to endure thermal stress. While medical professionals suggest these hot dishes provide essential nutrients, experts note that dog meat is expensive, making the state’s recommendation difficult for many citizens to afford. The United Nations World Food Programme estimated that over 40 % of North Korea’s 26-million population is chronically malnourished, heightening health risks during the extreme temperatures. ## Claims - North Korea recorded a temperature of 36.7 °C, the highest since weather recordings began. (corroborated by 5 sources) - State media recommended dog‑meat soup as a traditional summertime remedy for the heat. (corroborated by 5 sources) - A doctor at Pyongyang General Hospital recommended cooling foods including watermelon, cucumbers, mung beans, dog‑meat soup, fish porridge and red‑bean porridge. (corroborated by 5 sources) - North Korea has not released data on heat‑related deaths. (corroborated by 5 sources) - South Korea reported more than 20 deaths related to the heat wave. (corroborated by 5 sources) - A national dog‑meat cooking competition was held earlier this year. (corroborated by 5 sources) - KCNA praised samgyetang, a chicken soup with ginseng, as a remedy for the heat. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Kim Jong Un is portrayed as enduring the heat, saying work must continue even when the weather is unbearably hot. (corroborated by 5 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-09: North Korea recommends traditional soups to combat extreme heat North Korean state media is recommending traditional dog meat and ginseng chicken soups to help citizens combat extreme heatwaves reaching 40°C across the Korean Peninsula. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/north-korea-promotes-dog-meat-soup-to-combat-heatwave ### 2026-08-07: North Korea urges dog‑meat soup to beat record heat North Korea’s record heat (up to 36.7 °C) prompted state media to recommend dog‑meat soup and ginseng chicken broth as traditional remedies, while highlighting Kim Jong Un’s propaganda and noting over 20 heat‑‑ 32 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/north-korea-promotes-dogmeat-soup-and-chicken-broth-to-beat-record-heat ### 2026-08-04: North Korea Promotes Dog Meat Soup Amid Record Heatwave North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun urges dog‑meat soup to combat a record heatwave, citing health benefits, while South Korea bans the practice under a 2024 law. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/north-korea-urges-dogmeat-soup-to-combat-record-heatwave --- Cite as: North Korea heatwave food promotion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/north-korea-heatwave-food-campaign