Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century South Korea

[David Wilson]

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Like North Korea, South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. It has a population of about 52 million, of which half live in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world; other major cities include Busan, Daegu, and Incheon.

Picture below, Haenyeo (Korean: 해녀; lit. sea women), traditional female divers in the South Korean province of Jeju, whose livelihood consists of harvesting a variety of mollusks, seaweed, and other sea life from the ocean.

 

[David Wilson]

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대한수경 (Daihan/Daehan) Diving Sports Company is, or was, an underwater swimming equipment manufacturer based in Busan, the second most populous city in the Republic of Korea. The image above on the outside of a diving mask box illustrates Daihan’s underwater product range.

Haenyeo are female breath-hold divers in the South Korean province of Jeju, who harvest a variety of molluscs, seaweed, and other sea life from the ocean. When gathering such seafood, they are often seen wearing Daihan underwater masks and fins. Future posts will display the company’s repertoire of diving masks, breathing tubes and swimming fins.

At the weekend we shall begin a review of diving masks made by this manufacturer.

 

[Luis H]

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Like North Korea, South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. It has a population of about 52 million, of which half live in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world; other major cities include Busan, Daegu, and Incheon.

Picture below, Haenyeo (Korean: 해녀; lit. sea women), traditional female divers in the South Korean province of Jeju, whose livelihood consists of harvesting a variety of mollusks, seaweed, and other sea life from the ocean.

I want to know about those shoes...

And are those some kind of neoprene hoods? They look different.

The wet suits also look a bit loose.

Thanks for posting the pictures (and all your posts).

 

[David Wilson]

I want to know about those shoes...

And are those some kind of neoprene hoods? They look different.

The wet suits also look a bit loose.

Thanks for posting the pictures (and all your posts).

I'm afraid I don't have answers about the hoods or shoes. I do have further information about the Daihan mask worn by the following Haenyo, though.

 

[David Wilson]

Daihan single-lens diving mask: plastic-rimmed model.

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• Oval diving mask for use from 13 years of age.
• Tempered-glass lens sized 16 × 13.5 cm.
• Rim made of reinforced heat-treated acrylic plastic for strength and safety.
• Skirt made of prime natural rubber for good elasticity and watertightness.
• Ergonomic design for great wearing comfort.
• Split strap can be easily adjusted.

More Daihan diving masks midweek.

 

[David Wilson]

Daihan single-lens diving mask: steel-rimmed plain model.

• Standard oval single-lens diving mask for use from 15 years of age.
• Tempered-glass lens sized 11 × 18 cm.
• Stainless-steel rim for extreme durability.
• Skirt made of prime natural rubber for good elasticity and watertightness.
• Ergonomic design enhances wearing comfort, making mask feel like part of body.
• Easy adjustment of split strap length.

 

[David Wilson]

Daihan single-lens diving mask: steel-rimmed compensator model.

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• Standard oval single-lens diving mask.
• Stainless-steel rim.
• Split adjustable strap.
• Corrugated compensator bosses.

More Daihan diving equipment at the weekend.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Well, I cannot answer about the fit of the wet suits either. But to give context, the Haenyeo (Korean: 해녀; lit. sea women), have been diving for centuries. They started out with goggles and white swim suits which did not provide much warmth. So they are inventive women who take whatever they can get and use it. The face mask is a vast improvement over their earlier goggles. I think they are simply using a popular shoe to keep their feet off the barnacles.

John

 

[David Wilson]

Daihan Twin-lens diving mask: plastic-rimmed model.

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• Twin-lens diving mask.
• Plastic frame
• Split adjustable strap.
• Nose pocket to ease compensation.

 

[David Wilson]

Daihan breathing tube.

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• Turbo Jet snorkel.
• Dimensions: Total length 48 cm; hose length 20 cm; barrel diameter 2.5cm.
• Mouthpiece made of highest quality silicone with long service life.
• Rubber loop attaches snorkel to mask.
• Colours: Orange, Yellow, Black.

Daihan swimming fins midweek.