South Korea Port Names Stranded Shark Honorary Ambassador After Visitor Surge
A stranded shark drew hundreds of thousands of tourists to a coastal canal in Busan, prompting municipal officials to name the animal an honorary ambassador for the city.
Authorities in the South Korean port city of Busan appointed a trapped shark as an honorary ambassador Tuesday following an influx of more than 600,000 visitors to the site.
The ocean predator, measuring about 3.5 meters long, entered an artificial canal at the Busan North Port Waterfront Park on Sept. 18. It became trapped after failing to navigate back toward open sea.
Residents nicknamed the creature Bukangi, combining the Korean word for North Port with an affectionate name suffix. The animal quickly became a national draw.
Visitor counts tracked by the city recorded roughly 600,000 people visiting the waterfront canal through Monday. City officials said about 480,000 people arrived during the multi-day Chuseok holiday break alone. The site typically averages around 2,000 visitors per day on weekends and holidays.
Busan conducted an opinion poll through its official Instagram account ahead of the designation. About 8,200 people participated, with 91 percent voting in favor of granting the shark ambassador status, municipal officials said. Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo planned to present the appointment certificate to Boogi, the city mascot, on behalf of the shark.
The influx of spectators has brought a sharp increase in sales for nearby businesses. Commercial registration records also show that a third party has filed an application to trademark the name Bukangi alongside a shark logo.
Government marine teams launched an operation Tuesday to return the animal to the sea. Five vessels operated by the Coast Guard and local agencies sprayed high-pressure water jets behind the creature to steer it toward the outlet. The operation failed when the shark dove and swam past the boats.
Marine scientists from the state-run National Institute of Fisheries Science evaluated the animal and confirmed its condition remained stable. However, experts warned that the shallow canal limits feeding and could harm the creature over time.
Busan officials and fishery authorities plan to launch a second rescue operation using a large guiding net as early as Friday.
