The shark was spotted in a canal at the North Port Waterfront Park in Busan on September 18. The animal, whose length was estimated at about 3.5 meters, was nicknamed "Bukang-i" by locals, referring to the name of the port. Authorities, in turn, nicknamed him "Shafluencer" - a combination of the English words "shark" and "influencer".
According to South Korea's National Institute of Fisheries Sciences (NIFS), the shark is most likely a member of the species Carcharhinus brachyurus, also known as the copperhead shark. The species belongs to the shark family.
Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo confirms the great interest in the animal, calling it "the real star of the city."
For now, the shark remains in the canal. The authorities want to ensure its safe return to the open sea, while limiting any risk to the animal itself and to people gathered around the water body.
Hundreds of thousands of people came to see the shark
The appearance of the animal caused great interest. According to data from the city's Busan Infrastructure Corp. from September 19 to September 28, the park was visited by over 600,000. people. These were registered visits, so some people could have visited the park more than once.
The crowds were so large that Busan authorities had to tighten security and temporarily restrict access to parts of the park's infrastructure. There were also traffic disruptions in the area.
Initially, the services tried to persuade the shark to leave the channel. However, the operation was interrupted after consultations with scientists. There was concern that too aggressive actions could harm the animal or provoke its dangerous behavior.
So the authorities decided to use a more lenient method. On Tuesday, Coast Guard boats used water jets to try to direct the shark toward an exit from the canal. The solution was inspired by an operation carried out in the USA in 2004, when they tried to help a white shark trapped in shallow water off the coast of Massachusetts.
The first attempt was a failure. The shark passed the boats and entered the channel again. In the afternoon, the operation was suspended again.
Previously, the authorities announced that if the use of boats and pumps does not bring results, they may use a specially prepared network adapted to the width and depth of the canal. The goal is to get the animal back to the open sea.
Scientists monitor the animal's condition
The National Institute of Fisheries Sciences assessed the shark's condition as stable. However, experts pointed out that a long-term stay of an animal in an artificial, narrow canal may limit its ability to move and obtain food.
Scientists speculate that the shark may have swam into the channel following prey and then failed to find its way back to the open sea. The design of the canal may additionally make orientation difficult.
The shark case also drew attention to a broader phenomenon observed in South Korean waters. According to NIFS, in the first half of 2026, 46 large sharks were recorded off the eastern coast of the country, while a year earlier in the same period there were 12 of them. The Institute indicates, among others: to higher water temperatures and a greater presence of thermophilic fish that feed sharks.
The average sea surface temperature off the eastern coast of Korea from April to June was 16.3 degrees Celsius this year - 1.1 degrees higher than usual and 1.9 degrees higher than a year earlier.
