First lady meets haenyeo, expresses respect, gratitude

First lady Kim Keon Hee looks towards photos of haenyeo during a meeting with them on Jeju Island. (Yonhap)

First lady Kim Keon Hee met with a small group of haenyeo -- female divers from Jeju Island who have traditionally harvested by hand mollusks and seaweed from the sea for a living – in Jongdal-li, Gujwa-eup, Jeju Island, Friday, and expressed respect and gratitude to them for maintaining the tradition despite difficult conditions.

About 10 people attended the meeting, including some who have been diving in Jeju for decades and others who recently came to Jeju from Seoul to learn how to become haenyeo.

Kim listened to stories of how haenyeo have tried to maintain their traditional work and culture while introducing them to young generations. Stories were shared by the CEO of Haenyeo's Kitchen, a restaurant that combines performances by haenyeo and seafood harvested by them, and two young women who came to Jeju Island from Seoul because they were attracted to the haenyeo lifestyle.

Jeju's haenyeo are designated National Intangible Cultural Heritage no. 132 and Important Fisheries Heritage no. 1, while their culture is inscribed in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

By Lee Jung-youn(jy@heraldcorp.com)