▲ Citizens take pictures of a shark that appeared in the waterway of the Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, on the 20th. (Photo: Yonhap News)
"I took the KTX to Busan just to see the shark."
On the 20th, alongside the walking path at the Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park's waterway.
A shark has been spotted for three consecutive days, drawing massive attention from citizens.
Since early this morning, the North Port Waterfront Park has been packed with crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of the lost shark wandering the waterway.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of citizens have flocked to see the shark since yesterday.
Standing on tiptoe with their smartphones held high above their heads, citizens waited under the scorching sun for a long time to see the shark.
Seeming to enjoy the attention, the shark surfaced in the shallow water once every 15 minutes, revealing its fin and splashing water.
Whenever the shark made a brief 1- to 2-second appearance, cheers erupted from all around.
As the crowds continued to pour in, the waterfront park management broadcasted announcements urging visitors to mind safety due to the heavy congestion.
The marine overpass, known as the best spot for viewing the shark, was restricted for safety reasons.
Kim, a 70-year-old visitor from Daegu, said, "I heard the place where you can see the shark is close to Busan Station, so I took the KTX with my granddaughter, an elementary school student, to see it. I thought sharks could only be seen in Florida or Hawaii, so it is fascinating to see one right in the downtown area."
Kim's granddaughter said, "It is fascinating, but I also feel a bit sorry for the shark because it seems to have come all the way here looking for food."
Reactions on social networking services (SNS) were even more enthusiastic.
Netizens left witty posts such as "Dynamic Busan, where sharks appear."
Posts and AI-generated images suggesting that the dome stadium being promoted for the North Port should be shaped like a shark also stood out.
There was also a satirical post titled "An Unexpected Gift Brought by the Shark," claiming that the appearance of a single shark has drawn more visitors to Busan Port North Port than the Yeosu World Expo, which has faced criticism for lack of preparation.
The shark that appeared at the North Port Waterfront Park for three days is estimated to be a bull shark belonging to the Carcharhinidae family.
Bull sharks are distributed in subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including Korean coastal waters, and are classified as a species with a high risk of aggression.
Ji Hwan-sung, a researcher at the National Institute of Fisheries Science, said, "Due to recent rises in water temperature, reports of bull sharks continuously appearing along the east coast of our country are being received. It appears to have entered this place in search of food."
The waters off Busan have seen frequent shark appearances due to high water temperatures in the summer.
As warm-current fish species flowed in, the number of sharks preying on them has also increased.
On the first day of the shark's appearance, the Coast Guard initially tried to guide the shark back to the open sea, but following the recommendation of the National Institute of Fisheries Science that forcing it away could trigger aggression, they have currently withdrawn.
They are monitoring the situation so that the shark can find its way back out to sea on its own, but the shark has not left the waterfront park for three days, capturing the attention of citizens.
This is the first time that the North Port Waterfront Park, created through the North Port redevelopment project, has received nationwide attention.
Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo posted on social media, saying, "Bull sharks are distributed in coastal and offshore waters including our country, and the risk of aggression is not high. Looking at it the other way around, this is proof that the ecosystem of the North Port Waterfront Park is that healthy, and we will take good care of the North Port to make it a beautiful sea where various living organisms coexist."
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