"Haenyeo" (the sea women) are female divers in the Korean province of Jeju. What used to amount to as many as 15,000 haenyeo in 1970 has now plummeted to a mere third of that number; and most of them are over seventy years of age, meaning that haenyeo are fast disappearing. Nowadays, instead of the strenuous lifestyle as a haenyeo, many Jeju women are turning elsewhere for other possibilities of living. In light of this sad reality, The LA Times published a feature article on Korean haenyeo, including interviews with the youngest haenyeo in Korea (33-year-old Ms. Kim) who has chosen the harsh path so that the precious tradition could be preserved.
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