North Korean people are flocking to parks, squares and riverbanks in the evenings now that this summer’s punishing heat wave has finally broken. Many say the cooler weather alone is enough to make life feel bearable again.
Living conditions have not improved, but the mood among North Korean people has brightened considerably now that temperatures have dropped.
A Daily NK source in South Pyongan province said recently people in the Anju city area have been gathering in growing numbers at parks, squares and riverside areas in the late afternoon. The trend began in early September, when the summer heat began to ease.
North Korean authorities have promoted “regional development” and efforts to “improve people’s livelihoods” while building housing, factories and other facilities in the area. They have also invested in urban beautification projects, the source said. Parks built under these campaigns have become part of everyday cultural and leisure life for North Korean people.
North Korean people gather for music, dancing and games in the evening
In the evenings, it is common to see North Korean people of all ages relaxing in parks with family members or neighbors, taking in the cooler weather, the source said.
“People spread out mats in the park to relax, or play music through amplifiers to dance,” the source said, describing games of jump rope, jegichagi — a traditional Korean shuttlecock-kicking game — and badminton as common sights as well. “Just looking at the park, it feels lively enough to seem like a world worth living in.”
Food supplies have not improved and incomes have not grown, the source said. Yet people are saying “now I can finally breathe” and “now I can finally live,” simply because the heat has passed. That reaction shows just how difficult this summer’s heat wave was, the source said.
The rush of North Korean people outdoors as soon as the weather cooled is itself telling. It shows how brutal the heat wave had been, according to the source.
Few local people could run electric fans or air conditioning freely, the source said. Chronic electricity shortages left most North Korean people with no way to cool down. They had to endure the heat wave and tropical nights around the clock without any cooling equipment.
Many North Korean people commute to work, run market stalls and take part in mandatory mobilizations during the day. Even after returning home at night, they often struggled to get proper rest. That made this summer’s heat an especially heavy burden, according to the source’s assessment.
Cooler mornings and evenings are now continuing, and North Korean people who had little chance to relax during the heat are heading outdoors again. The result is an atmosphere livelier than usual, the source said.
“People who struggled with the heat all summer, both inside and outside their homes, are now flocking to parks in the evenings,” the source said. They “seem to see the cool breeze and mingling with others as a source of enjoyment in itself.”
Many people know cold weather worries will return before long, the source added. For now, though, they are setting those concerns aside to enjoy good weather while it lasts. “They hold their children’s hands and come out to the park, saying they’re happy just sitting there,” the source said.
The small comforts brought by the change of season appear to offer real relief to North Korean people enduring difficult daily lives.
Reporting from inside North Korea
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September 17, 2026 at 12:47AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)