What Happened to the Large Turtle in Busan, Whose Shell Was Covered with Addresses and Wishes?
- Input
- 2026-08-10 05:11:04
- Updated
- 2026-08-10 05:11:04
[Financial News] A large turtle with a home address, people’s names, and wishes densely written on its shell was found on the coast of Gijang County, Busan. The turtle, which measured more than 30 cm in body length, is believed to be an invasive species. It has also been suggested that someone may have written on its shell and released it into the wild after making a wish.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 10th, the turtle was discovered around 7 a.m. the previous day in a drainage channel in front of a cafe inside a resort area in Gijang County, Busan. A resident identified only by the surname Kim, 70, who was walking nearby, found the turtle in the drainage channel and said it was well over 30 cm long.
The turtle’s shell was covered in white writing. In several places, it bore what appeared to be a home address, names, and phrases that looked like wishes. That made it seem more likely that the animal had been kept by a person or otherwise obtained separately before being released, rather than having lived in the wild.
Kim returned home without reporting the discovery right away. A few hours later, he came back to the site because he was worried about the turtle, but it had already disappeared from the drainage channel.
Experts who reviewed the photos from the scene said the animal was likely an invasive species. If an exotic turtle enters Korea’s natural environment, it can compete with native species for food and habitat and affect the ecosystem, which is why unauthorized release is restricted.
Shim In-seop, head of the animal rights group Life, suggested that while softshell turtles are often used in release rituals, the person may have chosen this turtle instead because softshell turtles are hard to obtain. Shim noted that individuals must not freely release animals designated as invasive species into the wild.
In particular, the address, name, and wish written on the shell are seen as evidence suggesting this may not have been a simple case of abandoning a pet, but rather a release for a specific purpose. However, it has not been confirmed who actually wrote on the shell, where the turtle had been raised, or how it ended up in the drainage channel.
If an invasive species is illegally released into nature, such as into a river or a coastal drainage channel, the act may be subject to fines or criminal penalties under relevant laws. Writing on a turtle’s shell may also fall under animal protection laws, depending on the specific method and degree of pain or injury inflicted on the animal.
[email protected] Jung Ji-woo Reporter