Jeju Haenyeo Culture Celebrates 10 Years as UNESCO Heritage

Jeju's haenyeo—traditional female free-divers—just hit a major milestone: 10 years on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. The 19th Jeju Haenyeo Festival kicked off this weekend with around 1,000 divers gathering for parades, rituals, and celebrations near the Jeju Haenyeo Museum. These women have been diving for seafood without oxygen tanks for generations, keeping alive a unique skill and cultural identity that defines Jeju Island.