Trapped shark in Busan becomes South Korean tourist attraction

A 3.5-metre bronze whaler shark has become an unexpected tourist sensation in Busan, South Korea, after becoming trapped in a narrow canal within the city’s North Port. First spotted on September 18, the animal has remained in the waterway for two weeks, attracting approximately 600,000 visitors to the local waterfront park. The influx of sightseers surged significantly during the recent four-day Chuseok holiday, during which 480,000 people arrived to view the shark, locally nicknamed “Bukang-i”.

Local authorities attempted a rescue operation on Tuesday, September 29, using Coast Guard vessels to spray jets of water intended to guide the animal toward the open ocean. However, the effort proved unsuccessful as the shark moved away from the water streams. Officials have scheduled a new rescue attempt for Friday, during which they plan to use a net to safely extract the shark from the canal.