Dogs of North Korea: Kim’s pets, valuable pelts and inter-Korean peace offerings
Two pungsan puppies have been gifted from North to South Korea, while the hermit state has been collecting dog fur from its citizens before one of its biggest national holidays
Last week, a pair of hunting dogs indigenous to North Korea made headlines worldwide, when the hermit state’s leader Kim Jong-un gifted them to his South Korean counterpart, President Moon Jae-in.
The pungsan dogs were hailed as “peace puppies” by international media outlets – but in North Korea, dogs mean more than peace, friendship and loyalty.
Days after the furry pair were gifted to South Korea, reports surfaced that the North Korean regime had been collecting dog fur from its citizens ahead of Party Foundation Day, one of the North’s biggest holidays, when North Koreans are expected to make donations to the state.
The government has been asking citizens to relinquish their pet dogs and their pelts, or to offer a cash contribution of 20,000 North Korean won (US$148) or 4kg worth of rice to the state, according to UPI.
According to Korean media, dog-fur coats are the North Korean equivalent of the designer goose-down puffer jackets so popular in South Korea. The collected pelts are likely to be used to make dog-fur coats in North Korea, where resources are low and the winters are notoriously cold.
These coats, often seen on members of the North Korean army, can reportedly be bought for around US$53 at local markets.
