FALCON POWERS – During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gifted him two dogs.They are from the rare Pungsan breed, which is listed as part of the intangible cultural heritage of the People’s Republic, and it is almost impossible to find them outside of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In the rest of the world, there are only a few specialized breeders of this type of dog in South Korea and the United States.
The Pungsan is a hunting dog breed that has been bred with wolves for several centuries in Pungsan province, from which the breed gets its name. This is believed to have happened during the Joseon dynasty (16th-19th centuries), but there is no precise information on this. Pungsan dogs have thick fur (usually white), which makes them very cold-resistant and disease-resistant. They can weigh up to 30 kg and stand up to 60 cm tall. Their average life expectancy is 13 years.
These dogs are described as extremely loyal to their owner and aggressive towards those who violate the boundaries of their living area. Experts say that Pungsan dogs were originally trained to hunt large and dangerous animals such as bears, tigers, and wild boars. They require serious training, so they are rarely raised even in North Korea. In addition, they are not suitable for apartment living. It is better to keep them in a dedicated space as they need a large area to roam.
Cho Il-jeong, head of the National Heritage Conservation Agency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said: “Pungsan dogs are loyal to their owner and show no mercy to the enemy they attack.”
The breed almost disappeared during the Japanese occupation and the Korean War. It was saved thanks to the efforts of the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who described the dogs as a “national treasure”.
