A captain in his 70s who went missing after a fishing boat capsized off the coast of Sokcho, Gangwon Province, was found dead after two days. The civilian diver deployed in the search has drawn public attention after being identified as the husband of actress Ha Jae-sook.
According to the Sokcho Coast Guard on January 10, Captain A, in his 70s, was discovered by a civilian diver at around 2:14 p.m. on January 8 at a depth of approximately 20 meters, about 1 kilometer east of Daepo Port in Sokcho. He was in cardiac arrest when found and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Captain A had been missing since a 3.55-ton fishing boat capsized in the same waters at around 4:30 a.m. on January 7. The vessel overturned after colliding with another fishing boat. While one crew member was rescued, Captain A remained unaccounted for as coast guard and rescue teams continued their search into the second day. A civilian diver deployed during the operation located Captain A, and it was later revealed that the diver was Lee Joon-haeng.
Ha Jae-sook posted on her social media on January 9, "The captain who had been missing after the accident a few days ago was found by my husband yesterday and brought back safely." She added, "I hope there are no more accidents like this," and expressed gratitude to "the Sokcho Maritime Disaster Rescue Team and the Coast Guard for all their hard work."
Lee Joon-haeng, who holds a haenyeo (professional diving fisherman) certification, operates a scuba diving shop in Goseong County, Gangwon Province. He received a commendation at the 69th Coast Guard Day ceremony in 2022 for his contributions to rescue and salvage operations at maritime accident sites. Ha Jae-sook, who was serving as a public relations ambassador for the East Sea Regional Coast Guard at the time, said, "I worry because my husband is always the first to rush to help neighbors in need, but I am very proud of him."
Born in 1979, Ha Jae-sook made her acting debut in the 2006 drama "Alone in Love" and has appeared in "Pasta" and "OK Kwang Sisters," among others. She currently stars in the KBS2 drama "Red Pearl." She married Lee Joon-haeng, who is the same age, in 2016 and previously shared glimpses of their fishing village life in Goseong on SBS's "Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 – You Are My Destiny."
