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SOUTH KOREA 2025. Jeju Haenyeo Fisheries System

3 July, 2025, Jeju, South Korea. The tools of a South Korean haenyeo, or sea woman, is seen in her co-op’s house Pyeongdae, on the north eastern side of Jeju Island. Depicted are the hoe used to pry sea urchin, snails and small abalone off of the rocks and a specialty scissors-like prying tool to crack open the urchins in order to separate the edible gonads from the non-edible parts.

Photo credit must be given: ©FAO/David Hogsholt. Editorial use only. Copyright ©FAO.

07/03/2025

Country or Territory Republic of Korea

File size 20.08 MB

Unique ID UF21AEB

Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

Background Information The haenyeo have been harvesting these waters for seafood for hundreds of years and until a few decades ago, 30,000 women would take to the sea almost daily. Now, the Haenyeo hardly number 5000 and more than two-thirds are over 60 years old, many are in their 80s.
Until recently it was believed that the culture would die out as very few of the haenyeos’ daughters were taking up the craft. But there’s now a real effort on keeping the ways of the Haenyeo alive. Two haenyeo schools have opened with the goal of preparing women from non-haenyeo families for a live in the trade.
Today, haenyeo are recognized as one of Jeju Island’s most important cultural assets—a significant shift in perception that has taken place over the past 20 years. Once seen as a fading or undervalued tradition, the haenyeo have gradually gained national and international recognition for their resilience, skill, and cultural importance. In acknowledgment of their unique role in the island’s heritage, the Korean government supports them by subsidizing their equipment, granting them exclusive rights to sell freshly harvested seafood. They also receive health care and pension benefits. In 2016, UNESCO included the haenyeo tradition on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, bringing it international recognition.