GYEONGJU, March 30 (Korea Bizwire) — An abandoned refrigerated warehouse in a local fishing village will be renovated into a special kitchen for “haenyeo,” or female divers.
Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province announced Monday that the project has been approved by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, with renovations of the old warehouse in Eupcheon Port scheduled to begin in May.
The city will invest 300 million won (US$265,000) to turn the warehouse into a kitchen that the divers will be able to use to showcase various seafood dishes made with their catch, and tourists will be able to visit to buy fresh seafood.
The city will also set up a separate lounge for haenyeo, most of whom are seniors, to rest after they return from work.
The refrigerated warehouse in Eupcheon Port had been used to store bait for fish farms for 20 some years. Now, the warehouse has been left abandoned following the shutdown of a local fish farm.
Image Credit: Gyeongju City Office / Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com