Holy fuck I can't believe this story is gaining traction.
First off this story is almost certainly not true. Its published by Chosun Ilbo the premier conservative rag in South Korea, its only source is one anonymous defector, and its only being circulated in the West becuase it plays into a racist Asian stereotype. The right-wing South Korean press constantly prints these kinds of outlandish stories sourced to only one anonymous defector, and include such hits as: multiple reports of Kim Jong Un’s death, North Koreans are becoming zombies becuase of nuclear testing, everyone in North Korea is forced to have the same haircut, North Koreans are forced to believe Kim Jong Il invented the hamburger, North Korea executed their Olympic soccer team becuase they lost … and so on.
Most people in South Korea (except for their version of Fox News grandpas) knows this is bullshit and don’t consider Chosun Ilbo a legitimate news source. But invariably the Western press will repeat these stories verbatim and only source Chosun Ilbo.
If any of you want to know, North Korea has suffered heavy floods this year which have damaged crops. This is likley the origin of a months long campaign by Chosun Ilbo to portray the country as on the verge of another great famine (which I will add they do basically every year if there is heavy rain or a slight drought). However, looking at the actual prices in North Koreas semi-offical markets, food and fuel prices have not significantly risen for two years. This is largely due to the fact that China has completely opened its borders to North Korean trade due to deteriorating relations with the United States. Additionally, there is no indication that significant swaths of cropland have been destroyed, and any shortfalls can be compensate by imports from China. Therefore, unlike Chosun Ilbo claims, North Korea is unlikley to be facing famine this year, and the government has almost certainly not ordered the rounding up of pet dogs to be eaten. A moronic idea in any case as dog ownership in North Korea is very low as in most of east Asia.
Edit: and I'm just some idiot who has a passing interest in North Korea, and I get most my information form slightly more reputable English sources like NKNews or 38North. The UN and Chinese sources also constantly report on North Korea, and you can compare these with what North Korean news like KCNA and Rodong Sinmun report to get a fairly well rounded idea of whats happening in the country.