Government Petitions Filed Over Relocation of 'Bukangi,' Busan's Famous Blacktip Reef Shark

Debate has sparked over the fate of "Bukangi," a blacktip reef shark that has become a local attraction while staying in the artificial waterway of the Busan North Port Waterfront Park.

Recently, photos of protest pickets bearing slogans such as "Guarantee Bukangi's right to self-determination" and "What do you mean, forced eviction?" spread across social media and online communities, drawing attention.

Photos of a person holding a sign reading, "By what right are you trying to send Bukangi to the open sea?" were also posted.

The protest compares authorities' efforts to guide the shark back to the open sea to a "forced eviction," arguing that the shark has a right to stay in the North Port.

While some initially reacted by suggesting the images might be generated by artificial intelligence, an actual petition was posted on the government petition website "Cheongwon 24," calling for a halt to the efforts to guide Bukangi into the open sea.

The petitioner and some citizens pointed out that since the shark voluntarily came to the artificial waterway, its right to stay should be recognized, and safety measures within the waterway should be prioritized over artificial release.

On the other hand, strong counterarguments suggest that Bukangi should be sent to the open sea based on expert scientific judgment, noting that wounds have been spotted on its snout from collisions with the narrow waterway walls and that its health could be endangered by falling water temperatures in the winter.

Bukangi, which has drawn explosive interest with cumulative visitors surpassing 1.6 million since its first appearance last month, left the waterway following a third guidance effort by authorities and was recently observed swimming in the waters near the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal.

Fisheries authorities determined that Bukangi is adapting to the wider environment outside the artificial waterway and shows no health abnormalities, and they plan to monitor its movement for the time being without additional intervention.

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Kim Min-ji | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.