Korean 'haenyeo' diver honored by UN for work in food systems, rural life

The Korea Times - Oct 17, 2026

When Sung Jung-hee slips into the cold waters off Korea’s eastern coast, she wears no oxygen tank — just a mask, a weight belt and four decades of practical instincts from making her living harvesting the ocean floor by hand. That lifetime of hard labor and leadership earned international recognition earlier this week when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations named Sung one of 100 women honored globally for their contributions to food systems and rural life. Timed to mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the distinction recognizes 100 visionary leaders, scientists and community advocates driving sustainable change across global food and maritime networks. Selected from nearly 600 nominees submitted by member nations, Sung is the only honoree from Korea. Sung also serves as head of the Guryongpo fishing community and president of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Haenyeo Association. Beyond her daily dives, she has spent years improving working conditions, expanding welfare support for fellow divers and elevating the public profile of women in coastal industries.

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