Mongabay · Natuur

South Korea’s ‘sea women’ seek justice after marine habitat devastated by harbor work

A community of hanyeo, South Korea’s free-diving women fishers, are accusing a harbor expansion project of destroying their marine habitat and livelihoods. They are demanding compensation from construction giant Ssangyong and are considering legal action against the company or the government, but face a challenging and potentially lengthy legal battle.

The village of Guman-ri has a history of resilience against natural and wartime disasters, but the recent marine habitat destruction, blamed on harbor breakwater repairs by Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Co. since 2021, has left its nearly two dozen haenyeo devastated. The once-thriving seabed, a source of abalones, sea snails, and seaweed, has become covered in cement debris, rendering it barren.

The haenyeo, some in their 70s and 80s, have dived for decades without oxygen tanks, sustaining themselves and their families. The loss of their traditional fishing grounds has severely impacted their ability to earn a living. The construction, proposed by the South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to protect fishing boats from typhoons, was approved by village representatives without the haenyeo's direct consultation.

In June, the haenyeo protested at Ssangyong's headquarters in Seoul, demanding compensation. Ssangyong offered an out-of-court settlement, but the women found the offer insufficient to cover their expenses and losses. They are now weighing the costly and time-consuming option of a lawsuit against the company or the government, which requires proving a direct link between the construction and the habitat's destruction.

Legal experts suggest suing Ssangyong might be more feasible than suing the government, as proving environmental damage in court is difficult and expensive. The haenyeo are currently traveling long distances to find alternative fishing grounds, facing significantly longer workdays that are proving unsustainable. They also face the challenge of time, as many are elderly and a lengthy legal process could outlast them.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.