The Perilous Waves: South Korea's Fishermen Face Deadly Climate Change

Sat Oct 25 2025 21:35:56 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As the climate crisis intensifies, South Korea's fishing community grapples with rising seas and extreme weather, resulting in a surge of tragedies at sea. An examination of the challenges facing fishermen amid alarming changes in marine conditions.

Fishermen in South Korea are experiencing an alarming increase in fatalities and accidents due to extreme weather and changing sea conditions attributed to climate change. The report highlights the rising sea temperatures, the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns, and the decline of fish populations, prompting urgent calls for safety reforms and environmental action.

The Perilous Waves: South Korea's Fishermen Face Deadly Climate Change

Jean MackenzieSeoul correspondent

Boat owner Hong Suk-hui notes increasing dangers at sea.

Fishermen are at greater risk than ever, with a staggering 164 fatalities or disappearances last year in South Korea's waters. This reflects a 75% increase from the previous year, primarily due to accidents involving capsizing vessels in changing weather. Fisherman Hong Suk-hui believes the increasingly turbulent conditions are a direct result of climate change.

As the country’s seas warm more quickly than the global average, the immediate effects are being felt on the ocean floor, including the migration of vital fish species, further complicating both safety and livelihood for those dependent on fishing.

Alarmed by recent tragedies, the government has launched investigations and identified climate change, an aging workforce, reliance on migrant labor, and insufficient safety training as issues requiring urgent attention.

The rising number of marine weather warnings—up by 65%—indicates that more fishermen are facing increasingly treacherous conditions without the equipment or training to navigate them safely.

Environmental activists are urging for immediate reforms, highlighting that every fishery disaster highlights the urgency of addressing climate change impacts on maritime life.