'Slumping' South Korean corals worry divers, scientists studying climate change

Divers and scientists are observing a phenomenon dubbed "slumping" in South Korea's soft coral communities, particularly off Jeju island. This involves corals collapsing and dying, a trend attributed to rising temperatures and harsher weather conditions brought by climate change. Researchers from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) documented a significant slumping event in 2024 and are calling for consistent monitoring.