Shark 'Bukang-i' Stays Put in Busan Port... Second Operation Set for Day After Tomorrow

[Anchor]

An operation was launched to send back "Bukang-i," the shark that appeared in Busan North Port, but the shark refused to leave. A second operation is scheduled for the day after tomorrow (September 2).

Choi Han-sol from KNN reports.

[Reporter]

Korea Coast Guard and fire rescue boats emerge from inside the waterway while firing water cannons.

The operation to drive the shark Bukang-i out into the open sea has begun.

Bukang-i appears to be pushed away by the jets of water at first, but repeatedly dodges them by diving deep underwater before resurfacing.

[Visitors: It is smart. Go Bukang-i!]

Later, as if it has grown accustomed to the situation, it leisurely swims alongside the rescue boat, drawing cheers from citizens.

[Visitors: It is right here! Wow!]

The water cannon operation—reportedly inspired by a 2004 case in which a great white shark stranded in a U.S. salt marsh was guided back to the sea—ultimately ended in failure.

The pedestrian bridge visible behind me marks the entrance of the waterway leading to the sea. While water cannons were fired dozens of times, the shark Bukang-i ventured past the bridge only twice before turning back into the waterway.

Although the operation failed, citizens are actually pleased to have more chances to see Bukang-i.

[Kang Geon-woo & Kim Jin-i / Buk-gu, Busan: If it failed, it probably means the shark likes the North Port waterway, so leaving it as it is even after the failure might be fine.]

Experts also believe there are clear reasons why Bukang-i is refusing to leave.

[Kim Jin-goo / Professor, Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University: I think it might keep entering the waterway to give birth. Also, because this is a waterway, it is safe, and the water temperature is higher than elsewhere. This fellow prefers warm waters.]

The cumulative crowd gathered to see Bukang-i has reached 607,000.

Buoyed by this record-breaking popularity, the Busan Metropolitan Government officially appointed Bukang-i as an honorary ambassador.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science announced that it is manufacturing a net tailored to the waterway, measuring 50 meters wide and 4 meters high, and will launch a second operation to send Bukang-i back using this net on the 2nd of next month.

(Video by Hwang Tae-chul / KNN)

Choi Han-sol
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.