Stunning photos of haenyo, the last generation of deep-sea diving Korean 'mermaids'

Courtesy Mijoo Kim

Haenyo means "sea women" in Korean.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Haenyo are Korean women who deep-sea dive without any equipment to harvest seafood in a century-old practice.
• Their numbers are dwindling quickly.
• Photographer Mijoo Kim documented what many fear will be the last generation of haenyo.

For more than a century, Korean women have earned a living deep-sea diving to catch oysters, sea cucumbers, abalones, sea urchins, and squids.

Known as "haenyo," meaning "sea women," they hold their breath for two minutes, diving 65 feet deep without any equipment.

In recent years, their numbers have rapidly decreased. It is estimated that the haenyo will be gone in 20 years, unless more women join their ranks.

Photographer Mijoo Kim set out to document their traditional practice in a photo series entitled "The Mother of the Sea."