North Korea’s Kim Bans Hot Dogs, Citing Their ‘Too Western’ Influence

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly prohibited residents from eating hot dogs, citing their overly Western style.

According to the New York Post, Kim Jong Un banned selling and consuming hot dogs in North Korea on Wednesday. As a result, residents caught selling or cooking hot dogs at home face punishment.

This measure is part of North Korea’s policy to block the influence of Western capitalist culture. The regime has recently focused on Korean foods like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and budae jjigae (army stew) to prevent their spread.

In November last year, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that selling tteokbokki and budae jjigae had been completely halted on market grounds (jangmadang). Vendors caught secretly selling these dishes risk having their stalls shut down.

The media outlet noted that dishes such as pork belly, tteokbokki, and budae jjigae started appearing in North Korean markets around 2017 and had been unrestricted until recently. However, sudden crackdowns have begun.

While authorities have not provided specific reasons for these measures, residents believe the ban is based on the association of these dishes with South Korea.

The article also pointed out the irony that while American foods like hamburgers and sandwiches are freely sold, Korean dishes such as tteokbokki, budae jjigae, and hot dogs are being targeted, describing the reasoning as strange.

In recent years, North Korea has intensified its censorship efforts, monitoring not only South Korean media but also the clothing, hairstyles, and even South Korean speech patterns among North Korean youth.