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Korea’s Sea-Diving Women Fight for Survival Against Climate Change

July 31, 2023

Too often, the worst effects of climate change are experienced by those who contribute the least. Few people feel this more deeply than the Haenyeo women of Jeju Island, off South Korea. This community of women has been diving for generations. They’re witnessing firsthand how the climate crisis is destroying the ecosystem they depend on, putting everything they know and love at significant risk. Hari Sreenivasan traveled to the island to speak with these remarkable women.

TRANSCRIPT

>>> WELL, AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, OFTEN THE WORST AFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO IT THE LEAST.

NO ONE FEELS THIS MORE DEEPLY THAN THE WOMEN OF AN ISLAND OFF SOUTH KOREA.

THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN DIVING FOR GENERATIONS AND WITNESSING FIRST-HAND HOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS DESTROYING THEIR ECOSYSTEM.

IT'S PUTTING EVERYTHING THEY KNOW AND LOVE AT GREAT RISK.

HARI DISCOVERED THAT WHEN HE WENT TO SPEAK TO THEM.

THIS IS PART OF THE ONGOING PUBLIC MEDIA MISSION "PERIL AND PROMISE," ON THE CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO, CAN YOU EXPLAIN?

>> SO MANY WOMEN IN YOUR FAMILY WERE THIS.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOUR FAMILY?

>> THEY DON'T DIVE EVERY DAY, THEY DON'T DIVE IN THE SAME LOCATION ALL THE TIME.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A METHOD AND A SUSTAINABILITY BUILT INTO THE HAENYEO CULTURE.

>> YESTERDAY, I HEARD FROM AN 87-YEAR-OLD HAENYEO, SHE RODE UP ON HER SCOOTER AND ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID WAS THAT SHE'S BEEN DIVING SINCE SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD.

AND WHAT SHE SAW IN THE SEA IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.

>> RIGHT NOW, YOU SPEND TIME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE A SHIPPING CONTAINER ON A ROAD, YOU'RE PROTESTING SETTING UP A BARRICADE.

WHAT IS THAT FOR?

>> YOU CAN PROTEST RAPID DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN PROTEST A NAVY BASE, YOU CAN ATTEMPT TO MAKE CHANGE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE ON THE GROUND.

HOW DO YOU CHANGE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE SEA BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

FORCES THAT WE'RE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO?

>> THE NUMBER OF HAENYEO IS DECREASING EVERY YEAR.

THE OLDER GENERATION ARE PASSING ON, THE YOUNGER GENERATION ARE NOT DOING THIS.

SO, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WE'RE SITTING IN A MUSEUM TO PRESERVE THIS CULTURE, TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THIS ISLAND AND MAYBE TO THE WORLD IF THIS IS GONE?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID YESTERDAY WAS THAT IF THE SEA DIES, WE ALL DIE.

♪♪ >> SHE SANG A SONG YESTERDAY WHY IS IT STILL RELEVANT TODAY TO THE PLIGHT OF HAENYEO, TO THE PLIGHT OF THIS ISLAND, AND THE STRUGGLES?

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.