Severe heat waves are affecting not only the U.S., but also other countries and continents around the world. But while in the West we mostly combat high temperatures with raw vegetables, hydrating fruit, and fresh, light dishes, in other corners of the world, habits are quite different. In North Korea, for example, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party has published a series of tips for dealing with the heat, including some suggested dishes, including fish porridge, red bean porridge, and dog meat. This last recommendation has quickly spread beyond national borders, reigniting the complex conflict between local culinary traditions and international sensibilities.
Dog Meat is a Deeply Rooted Tradition in North Korea, But It No Longer Convinces Everyone
Bositang is a Korean soup that features dog meat as its main ingredient. The regime believes that this dish, in addition to being a ally against the summer heat, enhances virility. Those who still eat this dish boil the meat with green onions, dandelions, various spices, and perilla seed powder. Although it is considered part of cultural heritage and even featured on restaurant menus, this practice has been heavily criticized within the country in recent years, sparking timid protests over animal rights and hygiene standards.
As you might expect, this hasn't been enough to put an end to the practice: Kim Jong-un, North Korea's supreme leader, has repeatedly advocated for the promotion of the country's gastronomic traditions, including a "specialty" of this kind. In recent years, initiatives have also been launched through specialized restaurants and cooking competitions promoted, touting dog meat as a particularly suitable summer food. However, there is no scientific evidence demonstrating such benefits: these recommendations, therefore, are unsupported and can be dismissed as mere propaganda.
For the Korean Regime, Dogs Are Not Pets
The Korean regime's response to the protests against dog meat consumption was immediate: "Treating a dog like a family member is incompatible with the socialist way of life and must be strictly prohibited. The practice of dressing dogs as if they were humans, wrapping them in blankets, and burying them when they die is a bourgeois activity, one of the ways rich people waste money in capitalist societies." Therefore, keeping a dog as a pet is not permitted, unless it is farmed for meat and fur. The Daily NK, a newspaper in neighboring South Korea, even managed to collect the testimony of a person shocked by this drastic stance: "What should I do with the dog I love so much? I don't want to kill it, much less abandon it."
Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the Committee on Human Rights in North Korea, said the decree was "ridiculous": "The Kim regime criminalizes normal behavior, including visiting a relative in a nearby village without a travel permit, crossing the border without approval, or possessing a religious book. Labeling the human-dog relationship as non-socialist breaks a multi-millennial bond. It's a ridiculous ban."
North Korea's position, therefore, will not change, but South Korea has embarked on a path that will lead to the gradual abandonment of this practice, with legislation that will sanction the disappearance of the food supply chain. In 2024, the Seoul Parliament approved a law that will bring an end to the breeding, slaughter, and distribution of dog meat for human consumption by 2027, with penalties of up to three years in prison.
Other Places Where Dog Meat is Legal
The now consolidated familial bond between dog and man, at least in the West, makes consuming this type of meat unthinkable. On other continents, however, this is not the case. In addition to North Korea, in Asia, it can be found for sale in Vietnam, Indonesia, China, and some states in India. In Africa, however, it is legal to eat dog meat in Rwanda, Namibia, and Nigeria, which holds the record for the highest consumption of the entire continent.
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