Jeju haenyeo: the pace of using the sea
For Middle schoolers and adults · 9 scenes · 4 pictures
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Let's dive into the sea of Jeju's haenyeo. We'll look at the diving technique, then at how the community manages the sea, and finally choose one practice to carry on today.
How do they harvest underwater without an oxygen tank? A breath-hold dive lasts about a minute, at a depth of five to ten meters. Muljil is the technique of harvesting abalone, sea snails, and seaweed in that time.
Muljil is not only the work underwater. They check the sea weather and the tides and prepare the tewak float and the mangsari net. They dive and harvest, and at the surface they regulate their breathing with the sumbi sound. After the harvest, the fishing-village cooperative weighs the catch together.
The haenyeo community manages the village fishing grounds together, centered on the cooperative. They set closed seasons and leave young sea snails alone. They also plant seaweed to tend the grounds.
Let's compare the number of registered haenyeo by region. Jeju City fell from 2,520 to 1,680, and Seogwipo City from 1,790 to 1,210. Udo fell from 320 to 190, and Chuja Island from 95 to 52. All figures compare 2015 with 2024.
Now let's look at the age composition in 2024. Those in their seventies and older are the largest group at 61 percent. Those in their sixties are 29 percent, and those in their fifties and younger are 10 percent. Passing the knowledge of muljil and the community on to the next generation matters.
The haenyeo school graduate evaluation shows several areas of learning. Breath control scores 85, stamina 70, and harvesting technique 92. Safety rules score 78 and traditional knowledge 65. These are 2024 averages out of 100 for the graduates, not scores for all haenyeo.
Haenyeo culture has carried on through the ages. Late Joseon records mention jamnyeo, the diving women. In the 1930s there was the haenyeo anti-Japanese movement, and in the 1970s rubber wetsuits spread. In 2016 the culture was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
What the haenyeo have protected is the pace at which the sea is used. We can carry it on too. Buy seasonal seafood in smaller amounts, join a beach cleanup once, or tell one person the haenyeo story. Choose one of these to practice today.




















