{
  "id": 6531693,
  "title": "Women quit Korea's grind for diving tradition",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/women-quit-koreas-grind-for-diving-tradition",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T03:32:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20260910/women-quit-koreas-grind-for-diving-tradition"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province — For generations, Korean women have descended into the ocean to harvest seafood using only their hands and breath. But as South Korea's economy boomed and the nation's work culture became increasingly relentless, many haenyeo, or \"sea women,\" found themselves drawn away from their long-standing tradition. Now, a new wave of women is returning to the waves, embracing a demanding and physically taxing way of life.\n\nOne such woman is Jin So-hee, a 33-year-old from Busan, South Korea's second-largest city. After earning qualifications in skincare and nail art and working as a nursing assistant to make ends meet, Jin felt the strain of long hours, one-day weekends, and low pay. In her early 20s, she journeyed to Geoje, a coastal town known for its haenyeo community, where she encountered women in their 70s who had devoted their lives to diving.\n\nIntrigued by the prospect of a different kind of livelihood, Jin decided to join the ranks of haenyeo. However, the transition was far from easy. Within her first year as a haenyeo, Jin lost seven kilograms (15 pounds) and often found herself utterly exhausted, with little strength left to lift even a spoon. The intense work demands and physical toll of the profession are clear, but for Jin and others like her, the challenges are outweighed by a newfound sense of purpose and connection to a centuries-old tradition.",
  "summary": "GEOJE, South Gyeongsang Province — Jin So-hee had to suffer to join the centuries-old tradition of Korean women diving to harvest seafood. But she is now part of a new generation to earn a place in the waves. The nation's rapid economic transformation drew workers away from being haenyeo, the so-called \"sea women\" who dive without oxygen tanks to catch what they can. But Korea's all-consuming…",
  "key_points": [
    "Haenyeo tradition declining due to economic, cultural shifts",
    "Jin So-hee joins haenyeo after nursing assistant career",
    "Physical demands of haenyeo life outweigh challenges for Jin"
  ],
  "editors_take": "A growing number of Korean women, disillusioned with the country's high-pressure work culture, are turning to the traditional haenyeo diving practice as a way to find a more meaningful and sustainable livelihood.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Women quit Korea's grind for diving tradition",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/women-quit-koreas-grind-for-diving-tradition-6536943",
        "published": "2026-09-10T04:22:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}