If Bubbles Fail, Nets Will Be Used: Operation to Return 'Bukang-i', Which Captivated 600,000, Begins

[Anchor]

Operations to return Bukang-i, a shark spotted at the Busan North Port Waterfront Park, back to the sea will begin tomorrow (September 29). To catch a glimpse of Bukang-i, which has been staying in the waterway for 11 days, nearly 600,000 visitors have flocked to the waterfront park so far.

This report is by reporter Kim Su-yun.

[Reporter]

Citizens follow the leisurely swimming shark, Bukang-i, with exclamations of awe.

Despite it being a weekday following the Chuseok holiday, a large crowd gathered upon hearing the news that Bukang-i would soon leave.

According to the Busan Facilities Corporation, the number of visitors who came to the waterfront park over the four-day Chuseok holiday to see Bukang-i was tallied at 483,000.

Since Bukang-i first appeared on September 18, the cumulative number of visitors has surpassed 600,000.

Relevant authorities, including the Busan Metropolitan City government, held a response meeting today and decided to send Bukang-i back to the sea.

[Kim Chang-deok / Director-General of Busan's Green City Bureau: Above all, citizens' safety is currently a matter of concern, and from the perspective of wild animal protection as well, it seems we have reached a point where we must naturally guide Bukang-i out to the open sea.]

Starting at 10 a.m. tomorrow, vessels and water pumps will be mobilized to guide Bukang-i's movement from the inside of the waterway toward the open sea.

[Kim Hyun-woo / Researcher, National Institute of Fisheries Science: It won't be sprayed directly at the shark individual, but by using water pumps to spray behind the shark, the resulting bubbles and noise will cause the shark to head toward the entrance of the waterway...]

If this method proves ineffective, the authorities plan to use a specially manufactured net to induce its return.

Although they feel a sense of regret, citizens are hoping Bukang-i returns home safely.

[Kim Do-yoon, Kim Yong-nam, Kim Ri-wan / Chuncheon, Gangwon Province: Bukang-i is famous and rare, and it made for good memories, but it is disappointing to see it go.]

As a large crowd is expected to gather during the operation to guide Bukang-i to the open sea, the Busan city government plans to enforce strict on-site safety management.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Reported by Jung Kyung-mun | Video edited by Park Choon-bae | Design by Lee Jong-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.