Dyed dogs and goats: North Korean traders exploit summer livestock craze

Scammers in North Korea are dyeing the fur of ordinary livestock black and selling the animals as premium dark-furred breeds, exploiting a widespread belief that black animals offer superior health benefits ahead of the hottest period of the summer calendar.

In North Korea, the three hottest periods of the summer, known as the “sambok” days, are traditionally observed by eating restorative meat dishes to help the body cope with summer heat. The practice, called “bokdalim,” involves boiling meat into soups or stews and has long been a fixture of the summer calendar on the Korean peninsula. In recent years, a growing belief has taken hold that dark-furred animals, including black goats, black pigs, and black dogs, carry greater nutritional value and stamina-restoring properties than their lighter-coated counterparts, driving up prices for those animals in North Korean markets.

A Daily NK source in South Pyongan province said that demand for black goats, black pigs, and black dogs has been climbing across multiple cities in the province as the sambok period approaches. “There are traders who dye ordinary goats, pigs, and dogs black with hair dye and sell them,” the source said. “People are now saying that you have to check whether even livestock are real or fake.”

Dyed fur, drained wallets

The source said dog meat restaurants and other establishments preparing for the sambok season have been purchasing livestock from traders ahead of the peak period. It is during these transactions that fraudulent sellers have been operating, offering black-furred animals at prices slightly below market rate before disappearing once the deception is discovered.

The fraud is not always apparent at the point of sale. Dye applied to fur can hold its color until the animal is washed or the coat is examined closely, and in some cases, lighter fur begins to show through only after time has passed. A restaurant operator in Anju city purchased three black goats on June 3 at a below-market price, only to discover the animals had been dyed when white fur began to grow back through the dye after some time.

When the restaurant operator shared the experience with others, reactions ranged from surprise to weary resignation. “I had heard rumors like that a few years ago, but didn’t think it was actually happening,” one person said. Another remarked, “When life is this hard, people will think of anything.”

The source said the price gap between standard and dark-furred livestock has widened as demand has grown, creating a financial incentive for fraud. “Before, not that many people were specifically looking for black goats or black pigs, but now the perception that they’re a better health food has spread and the price difference is quite significant. That’s why some people go as far as dyeing them.”

Some traders exploit the fact that it is difficult to detect dyed fur before slaughter, selling the animals at inflated prices and then cutting off contact or relocating to another area when problems emerge.

Word of the scam has spread among market traders and restaurant operators, with some now advising buyers to inspect areas where dye is less likely to have penetrated, such as around the mouth, inside the ears, and on the belly. Others have begun testing animals by applying water at the point of purchase to see whether color runs from the coat.

The source said the problem is likely to worsen before the sambok season ends. “Demand for black livestock will only keep rising as the hottest days get closer. People are already wondering what other surprising schemes might appear.”

Ordinary North Korean people who purchase cooked meat at markets or eat at restaurants may also be at risk, as they have no way to verify the origin of the meat in dishes they buy. Concerns are mounting that sellers may pass off meat from ordinary animals as black livestock and charge accordingly during the period of peak demand.

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