[On the Ground] 1,500 people flock to see shark that appeared for two consecutive days at downtown Busan park

[Financial News] "Mom, Mom! I saw the shark's tail."
At around 5 p.m. on the 19th, at Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, children who had been running around to see the shark that appeared in the inner canal excitedly told their parents that they had seen part of the shark's body.
That day, even adults returned to their childhood innocence. Citizens crowded around the canal to capture images of the shark on their phones. Families and couples from Busan were joined by visitors from other areas who had come to the city and unexpectedly found themselves watching the shark because the park is connected to Busan Station.
When the actual shark appeared, the citizens in the park shouted "Wow" in unison. Some who successfully filmed it shared their videos with acquaintances and celebrated. As more people reported seeing the shark, challenges such as "Shark spotted as of 00:00" continued to appear on social media.
According to police officers managing order and safety at the scene, as many as about 1,500 people had gathered by 4 p.m. Given the situation, police controlled activities such as carrying children on their shoulders. Announcements repeatedly warned, "Please be careful, as people are gathering in the inner canal." At the park's parking lot, departing vehicles became tangled, and shouting broke out.

Despite this, visitors continued coming to the park to see the shark into the evening. Posts continued to appear, particularly on online communities, including: "I'm going to see the shark. Is it still there?" and "The lost shark is doing an excellent job as Busan's ambassador."
The shark was first spotted on the 18th. At the time, the Korea Coast Guard began managing safety after a passerby reported that "a live shark had appeared in the park." Brown in appearance and measuring up to 3.5 meters in length, it was believed to be a sandbar shark belonging to the requiem shark family. The Korea Coast Guard attempted to guide it toward open waters using coastal rescue boats and other means, but withdrew following advice from the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) that doing so could instead have adverse effects, such as causing the shark to become aggressive.
The shark was spotted again the following day. Busan Metropolitan City Government issued a safety alert urging, "People taking walks here and nearby residents are advised to take precautions for their safety." However, it has not been confirmed whether the shark spotted the previous day had remained in the canal and resurfaced or whether another shark had newly entered the area.
Chun Jae-soo, mayor of Busan, said on Facebook on the 19th, "Climate change is presumed to have brought more warm-water fish to Busan Port's North Port, and the shark is believed to have come looking for food." He added, "This is evidence that the ecosystem at Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park is that healthy. We will take good care of North Port and turn it into a beautiful sea where diverse forms of life can coexist."

[email protected] Baek Chang-hoon Reporter