The number of women divers who were once a symbol of the strong Jeju women is dramatically decreasing, largely because women have more job opportunities because of more education and a more diverse industrial structure. In addition, more and more women are avoiding the backbreaking labor in the ocean. Mothers do not want their daughters to follow in their footsteps into this strenuous and inherently dangerous profession.

The decrease in women divers entails a reduction in the number of fishermen. According to the survey by the Jeju Provincial Government in 2006, among the total of 5,406 women divers (as of the late of last year), those over 60 accounted for 65.8% (3,557), those between 50 and 59 24.6% (1,331), and those between 30 and 39 9.6% (518), and those below 30 were merely 2. This demonstrates that women divers are decreasing in number. This is in marked contrast to the 1970s when the percentage of divers over 60 was 4.6%.

<The State of People Engaged in Diving Fisheries>

Source: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province 

<The Number of Active Divers as of 2006> 

 Source: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province 

<The Number of Households and Population Engaged in Fisheries in Jeju>