{"id":324059,"date":"2026-04-13T06:08:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T21:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/?p=324059"},"modified":"2026-04-13T07:04:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T22:04:40","slug":"north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/","title":{"rendered":"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#8217;s provincial poor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">North Koreans outside Pyongyang are reacting with resentment and disbelief after state media broadcast footage of Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Ju Ae, touring a pet shop at the newly opened Hwasong District Phase 4 service complex in the capital. Many provincial North Koreans say the luxury facility is worlds apart from their daily struggle to afford food.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">A Daily NK source in North Hamgyong province \u2014 one of North Korea&#8217;s northernmost and most economically marginalized provinces \u2014 reported on April 10 that the broadcast had set off heated conversations in Hoeryong city. &#8220;These days, people in Hoeryong are all talking about pet animals,&#8221; the source said. The reaction followed televised coverage of Kim Jong Un and central party officials touring the Hwasong District facilities ahead of their opening.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">North Korean state media reported that Kim inspected the operational readiness of multiple service facilities in the Phase 4 zone. The broadcast reached the general public through state television. Of all the facilities shown, the pet shop drew the most attention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>&#8220;Dogs and cats? We can barely eat&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Reaction to the broadcast was sharply divided. Those who responded negatively focused on footage of Ju Ae stroking a cat and on references to &#8220;veterinary medicine production.&#8221; They viewed the scenes as emblematic of a life entirely out of reach. &#8220;We can barely feed ourselves \u2014 who has the luxury to worry about dogs and cats?&#8221; one person said. &#8220;There aren&#8217;t even enough medicines for people, let alone pets,&#8221; said another. A third remarked that &#8220;only wealthy families&#8221; could afford such things.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Even owning a pet remains a privilege for better-off households in provincial areas. For the majority of North Koreans struggling to meet basic needs, keeping a pet is an extravagance. The broadcast provoked a sense of alienation among many viewers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The current economic context sharpened those reactions. Food prices and general consumer prices have reportedly risen to record highs in recent months. Vulnerable groups are bearing the brunt. Against that backdrop, a state-of-the-art pet shop in Pyongyang struck many provincial viewers as painfully disconnected from their own lives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3\">\n<h2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Pyongyang as a &#8216;different world&#8217;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The disparity between Pyongyang and the provinces emerged as a recurring theme. &#8220;Pyongyang feels like a different world from where we live,&#8221; one person said. Another noted that while Pyongyang&#8217;s people were apparently thinking about feeding and getting veterinary care for their pets, people in the provinces were focused solely on earning enough to survive. &#8220;It sounds like a story from another country entirely,&#8221; the source said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">&#8220;Provincial people have long felt the gap in living standards between themselves and Pyongyang,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;Recently, word has come back from people who visited the capital that conditions there keep improving. Meanwhile, life in the provinces only gets harder.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Mixed reactions in Hamhung<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Reactions in Hamhung, the capital of South Hamgyong province, followed a similar pattern, according to a second Daily NK source. &#8220;These days, the Hwasong District service facilities are a major topic of conversation,&#8221; the source said, adding that responses varied by individual circumstance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Some expressed genuine interest or aspiration. &#8220;If I ever get to Pyongyang, I&#8217;d want to visit the Hwasong District hair salon,&#8221; one person said. Others wanted to try the instruments reportedly on display at a music facility. But skepticism was equally evident. &#8220;It&#8217;s just something we can look at but never touch,&#8221; said one person. &#8220;In the end, it&#8217;s a place built for people who are already well-off,&#8221; said another.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Not all reactions were negative. Some viewers expressed national pride and amazement at what they saw. &#8220;It seems like our country is developing, just like other countries,&#8221; one person said. Others noted that scenes of people taking dogs to veterinary clinics had previously seemed like something from foreign films. &#8220;Pyongyang looks no different from a foreign country now,&#8221; one person remarked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">&#8220;Provincial people want comfortable lives too,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;But when basic food needs go unmet, facilities like those in the Hwasong District can only be seen as places that have nothing to do with us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/20260410-5\/\">Read in Korean<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- Daily NK \u2014 A Note to Readers \u2014 End of Article Pattern -->\n<div style=\"background:#1a1a1a;border-top:3px solid #cc0000;padding:0;margin-top:32px;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;\">\n  <div style=\"padding:20px 24px 24px;\">\n\n    <!-- Header row -->\n    <div style=\"display:flex;align-items:center;gap:12px;margin-bottom:14px;\">\n      <span style=\"background:#cc0000;color:#fff;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.15em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:3px 8px;flex-shrink:0;\">A Note to Readers<\/span>\n      <div style=\"flex:1;height:1px;background:#333;\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Intro line -->\n    <p style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:15px;color:#fff;font-weight:normal;line-height:1.4;margin:0 0 12px;\">Reporting from inside North Korea<\/p>\n\n    <!-- Body -->\n    <p style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:13px;color:#bbb;line-height:1.75;margin:0 0 16px;\">\n      Daily NK operates networks of sources inside North Korea who document events in real-time and transmit information through secure channels. Unlike reporting based on state media, satellite imagery, or defector accounts from years past, our journalism comes directly from people currently living under the regime. We verify reports through multiple independent sources and cross-reference details before publication.\n    <\/p>\n\n    <p style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:13px;color:#bbb;line-height:1.75;margin:0 0 16px;\">\n      Our sources remain anonymous because contact with foreign media is treated as a capital offense in North Korea &mdash; discovery means imprisonment or execution. This network-based approach allows Daily NK to report on developments other outlets cannot access: market trends, policy implementation, public sentiment, and daily realities that never appear in official narratives.\n    <\/p>\n\n    <p style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:13px;color:#bbb;line-height:1.75;margin:0 0 20px;\">\n      Maintaining these secure communication channels and protecting source identities requires specialized protocols and constant vigilance. Daily NK serves as a bridge between North Koreans and the outside world, documenting what&#8217;s happening inside one of the world&#8217;s most closed societies.\n    <\/p>\n\n    <!-- CTA row -->\n    <div style=\"border-top:1px solid #333;padding-top:16px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px;flex-wrap:wrap;\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/how-we-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\n         style=\"background:#cc0000;color:#fff;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:9px 16px;text-decoration:none;flex-shrink:0;\">How We Report<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/830d12539ead\/dnkweeklybriefing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\n         style=\"background:transparent;color:#cc0000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:9px 0;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px solid #cc0000;flex-shrink:0;\">Subscribe to Our Weekly Briefing<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- End Daily NK \u2014 A Note to Readers -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>North Koreans outside Pyongyang are reacting with resentment and disbelief after state media broadcast footage of Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Ju Ae, touring a pet shop at the newly opened Hwasong District Phase 4 service complex in the capital. Many provincial North Koreans say the luxury facility is worlds apart from their daily [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":324065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,1360],"tags":[724,745,747,773,828,1439,100,135,274,709,710],"class_list":["post-324059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-society","tag-kim-jong-un","tag-south-hamgyong-province","tag-hamhung","tag-north-hamgyong-province","tag-kim-yo-jong","tag-hoeryong","tag-markets","tag-propaganda","tag-pyongyang","tag-poverty","tag-food-shortages"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>North Koreans react to Kim Jong Un&#039;s pet shop tour<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un&#039;s tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#039;s provincial poor\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un&#039;s tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"North Korea News \u2014 Daily NK | Latest DPRK Updates 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lee Chae Eun\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lee Chae Eun\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lee Chae Eun\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6c9f40b0a89c4a5354607f43756dbbe0\"},\"headline\":\"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#8217;s provincial poor\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":692,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"kim jong un\",\"south hamgyong province\",\"hamhung\",\"north hamgyong province\",\"kim yo jong\",\"hoeryong\",\"markets\",\"propaganda\",\"pyongyang\",\"poverty\",\"food shortages\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\",\"Society\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/\",\"name\":\"North Koreans react to Kim Jong Un's pet shop tour\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00\",\"description\":\"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un's tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae inspect a pet shop at the Hwasong District Phase 4 service complex in Pyongyang ahead of its opening, April 3, 2026. Photo: Rodong Sinmun\\\/News1\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#8217;s provincial poor\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/\",\"name\":\"North Korea News \u2014 Daily NK | Latest DPRK Updates 2026\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Daily NK English\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/top_logo@1x.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/top_logo@1x.png\",\"width\":272,\"height\":90,\"caption\":\"Daily NK English\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"description\":\"An independent online news organization based in Seoul, South Korea, reporting on internal North Korean affairs through a network of in-country sources and defector journalists. Part of the Unification Media Group (UMG) consortium.\",\"email\":\"dailynkenglish@uni-media.net\",\"telephone\":\"82-2-732-6998\",\"legalName\":\"DailyNK\",\"foundingDate\":\"2004-12-01\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"1\",\"maxValue\":\"10\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6c9f40b0a89c4a5354607f43756dbbe0\",\"name\":\"Lee Chae Eun\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp\",\"caption\":\"Lee Chae Eun\"},\"description\":\"Lee Chae Eun covers trade and market trends, as well as the North Korean government's surveillance and control of its citizens. She also closely follows the situation of North Korean defectors living in China. Further details about her identity cannot be made public for security reasons. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynkenglish(at)uni-media.net.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dailynk.com\\\/english\\\/author\\\/lee-chea-un\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"North Koreans react to Kim Jong Un's pet shop tour","description":"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un's tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea's provincial poor","og_description":"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un's tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/","og_site_name":"North Korea News \u2014 Daily NK | Latest DPRK Updates 2026","article_published_time":"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Lee Chae Eun","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Lee Chae Eun","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/"},"author":{"name":"Lee Chae Eun","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6c9f40b0a89c4a5354607f43756dbbe0"},"headline":"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#8217;s provincial poor","datePublished":"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/"},"wordCount":692,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg","keywords":["kim jong un","south hamgyong province","hamhung","north hamgyong province","kim yo jong","hoeryong","markets","propaganda","pyongyang","poverty","food shortages"],"articleSection":["News","Society"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/","name":"North Koreans react to Kim Jong Un's pet shop tour","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-12T21:08:21+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-12T22:04:40+00:00","description":"North Koreans in Hoeryong and Hamhung react with anger and disbelief after state TV airs Kim Jong Un's tour of a Pyongyang pet shop.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/news-p.v1.20260403.bc0d9e507dec4feb9427af9dda4cd34f_P1-1-e1776031394210.jpg","width":1280,"height":600,"caption":"Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae inspect a pet shop at the Hwasong District Phase 4 service complex in Pyongyang ahead of its opening, April 3, 2026. Photo: Rodong Sinmun\/News1"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-koreans-react-kim-jong-un-pet-shop-hwasong-district\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Pet shop in Pyongyang sparks anger and envy among North Korea&#8217;s provincial poor"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/","name":"North Korea News \u2014 Daily NK | Latest DPRK Updates 2026","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#organization","name":"Daily NK English","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/top_logo@1x.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/top_logo@1x.png","width":272,"height":90,"caption":"Daily NK English"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"description":"An independent online news organization based in Seoul, South Korea, reporting on internal North Korean affairs through a network of in-country sources and defector journalists. Part of the Unification Media Group (UMG) consortium.","email":"dailynkenglish@uni-media.net","telephone":"82-2-732-6998","legalName":"DailyNK","foundingDate":"2004-12-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"1","maxValue":"10"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/6c9f40b0a89c4a5354607f43756dbbe0","name":"Lee Chae Eun","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/9f4cf0f24b376077a2fcdab2e85c3584-150x150.webp","caption":"Lee Chae Eun"},"description":"Lee Chae Eun covers trade and market trends, as well as the North Korean government's surveillance and control of its citizens. She also closely follows the situation of North Korean defectors living in China. Further details about her identity cannot be made public for security reasons. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynkenglish(at)uni-media.net.","url":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/author\/lee-chea-un\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=324059"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":324061,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324059\/revisions\/324061"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/324065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=324059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=324059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=324059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}