Rescue operation underway for canal-trapped shark “Bukang-i” in Busan

A shark unexpectedly stranded in an artificial waterway at Busan’s North Port has become a sensation, drawing more than half a million visitors — but experts and environmental groups warn that the frenzy risks turning the animal into a spectacle while overlooking what its unusual appearance may signal about a changing marine environment. The shark has remained in the artificial waterway at North Port for 12 days as of Tuesday. More than 483,000 people visited the park during the Chuseok holiday alone, while cumulative visitors have surpassed 560,000 since the city began counting them on Sept. 19. Social media users dubbed the shark "Bukangi," from "buk hang" — the Korean name for Busan’s North Port. As public interest surged, Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo described the shark’s unexpected appearance as an opportunity to raise the profile of the North Port area. Riding on Bukangi’s growing popularity, the city on Tuesday officially appointed the shark as an honorary promotional ambassador. The shark's popularity has also delivered a boost to nearby businesses. Some convenience store

BUSAN — Maritime authorities on Tuesday launched an operation to guide a shark from a canal to the outer sea, 12 days after the animal became trapped in the canal at a waterfront park in the southeastern city of Busan. The Busan Coast Guard and the National Institute of Fisheries Science, along with other relevant agencies, began preparing for the operation earlier in the day at North Port in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Once the preparatory work is completed, the police plan to deploy two vessels to guide the shark out of the park by spraying streams of water. If the method fails, they plan to guide the shark to the open sea by using a net custom-made to fit the width and depth of the artificial waterway. Affectionately named "Bukang-i" — a combination of Bukhang, or North Port, and the Korean suffix "i" — the marine animal has drawn more than 600,000 visitors as of Monday since it was first spotted in the canal on Sept. 18. Initially, local maritime police and authorities tried to drive the shark away. The animal, however, refused to leave the channel, prompting

Port city of Busan inundated with tourists keen to see the 3.5-metre animal close upRescuers have begun trying to rescue a large shark that has been trapped in a narrow city canal in South Korea for more than a week, and become an unlikely tourist attraction in the process.More than 600,000 visitors are estimated to have visited the southern port city of Busan since the 3.5-metre shark – nicknamed Bukang-i after the name of Busan’s North Port – was first spotted on 18 September in the waterway at a waterfront park. Continue reading...

BUSAN — The Busan city government said Monday it will launch a rescue operation this week for a 3.5-meter shark trapped in a local canal at a waterfront park in the southeastern port city. The shark was first spotted Sept. 18 in a narrow canal at Busan's North Port. Affectionately named Bukang-i -- a combination of Bukhang, or North Port, and the Korean suffix "i" -- the marine animal has drawn 568,800 visitors since Sept. 19, according to the Busan Infrastructure Corp. The city government held a meeting with relevant authorities earlier Monday and decided to use vessels and water pumps to guide Bukang-i out of the park, starting 10 a.m. Tuesday, as staying longer in the channel could gradually weaken its stamina. If the method fails, authorities said they plan to guide the shark to the outer sea by using a net custom-made to fit the width and depth of the artificial waterway. The shark's activity and respiration level remain stable, according to a field inspection conducted by the National Institute of Fisheries Science. Public interest spiked dramatically during the Chuseok holiday, t

BUSAN — More than 560,000 people have visited a waterfront park in the southeastern city of Busan over the past 10 days to catch a glimpse of a 3.5-meter shark trapped in a local canal, authorities said Monday. The shark was first spotted Sept. 18 in a narrow canal at Busan's North Port. Affectionately named Bukang-i — a combination of Bukhang, or North Port, and the Korean suffix "i" — the marine animal has drawn 568,800 visitors since Sept. 19, according to the Busan Infrastructure Corp. Public interest spiked dramatically during the Chuseok holiday, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, with 483,000 visitors flocking to the waterfront park over four days: 101,000 on Thursday, 136,000 on Friday, 140,000 the following day and 106,000 on Sunday. These figures represent a fiftyfold increase compared with the park's usual daily average of about 2,000 visitors during holidays. Initially, local maritime police and authorities tried to drive the shark away. The animal, however, refused to leave the channel, prompting officials to suspend their operations. As Bukang-i remained trapped i