PETALING JAYA: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly banned North Koreans from eating hotdogs.
According to the Sun, serving hotdogs at home or selling them on the street is now deemed an act of treason.
In fact, if caught, offenders risk being sent to the communist state’s labour camps.
This prohibition has already impacted the availability of certain foods in the country. Sales of budae-jjigae—a popular spicy Korean stew known for incorporating American-inspired ingredients like hotdogs—have reportedly ceased in local markets.
The dish, a fusion of Korean and American culinary influences, originated during the Korean War when surplus military rations like processed meats were combined with local flavors to create a hearty stew.
The decree is the latest example of Pyongyang cracking down on what it sees as the invasion of Western culture.
The North Korean leader has recently also ordered divorcing couples be sent to a labour camp for up to six months to atone for their ‘crimes’.
This was due to the split being seen as “anti-socialist”.