청년 일자리 창출하고 어촌소멸 막는다… '귀어청년'에 주목
A passion for fishing has prompted a few young people here to take the sport up as a profession.
Keeping this in mind those already in the industry believe more can be done to support this career transition to better benefit an aging fishing community.
Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin explains.
Once vibrant and full of life, fishing villages along the coast of South Korea are slowly dying.
But Chung Uie-chang, who is in his thirties, moved just three months ago to one such village on Yongyu-do island in the port city of Incheon.
"I worked as an IT programmer for 6 or 7 years, but my passion for fishing led me to switch careers."
He meets with a local fisherman almost daily to learn the skills needed for his new job.
Chung previously took an education program by the local government, which is encouraging more young people to enter the fisheries industry through hands-on experiences and guest lectures from successful fishermen.
"It looks like I can earn more than I did when I worked in an office. You can also take breaks whenever you want"
Ha Do-geun, who also became a fisherman in his thirties after over a decade in the delivery business, mentioned the same perks after four years in the profession.
"The best part is that if you go out and work more, you'll also make more."
He not only now has six deckhands under him but is also a proud owner of a fishing boat worth around 3-hundred million won, or 220-thousand U.S. dollars, thanks to support funds from the local government.
And his success, he says, was only possible due to training from seasoned fishermen like Cha Jong-up, who has over 20 years of experience.
But while some locals like Cha are eager to pass down their knowledge, others are less open to newcomers.
"Everyone's old, the average age is above 60. I believe that we need new fishermen but there's limited space for casting nets, so locals should share it with newcomers."
In 2023, 48 percent of the fishing village population were aged 65 and older, more than twice the national average, underscoring the need for younger people.
But while financial support and training are crucial, he stressed that the government must also bridge the generational gap, through measures that include mediating how fishing spots are used.
"With a steady influx of younger individuals in the future as well, more generational transitions like this are expected to occur in fishing villages across the country, preserving and revitalizing both the economy and the social fabric of coastal regions.
Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News."
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2024-10-24, 17:00 (KST)
