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Every day, Kim Ok Ja dons a wetsuit and snorkel, grabs a fishing spear and a net, and dives into the Pacific Ocean to hunt for conch and sea life that her fa...

Haenyeo: The Last Mermaids of Jeju

October 9, 2020

Every day, Kim Ok Ja dons a wetsuit and snorkel, grabs a fishing spear and a net, and dives into the Pacific Ocean to hunt for conch and sea life that her family can eat or sell. She is 78 years old and shows no sign of slowing down. Based on the Korean island of Jeju, she is one of a dwindling group of women divers known as a “haenyeo.”

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY FEATURES ON GREAT BIG STORY

Tags South Korea, mermaid, divers, fishing, ocean, Pacific Ocean, Jeju, Haenyeo
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