102,000 People Flocked to See Shark 'Bukang'... Busan North Port Bustled on First Day of Holiday

[Financial News] The crowd of people coming to see 'Bukang,' a shark that entered the waterway of Busan North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, exceeded 100,000 on the first day of the Chuseok holiday.
According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on the 25th, the cumulative number of visitors to the waterfront park the previous day was tallied at approximately 93,000 by 6 p.m.
Busan Metropolitan City Government controls access to the waterway from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day to prevent safety accidents.
It was found that the daily number of visitors reached approximately 102,000, including those arriving after 6 p.m. This is about 50 times the usual number of holiday visitors, which is around 2,000.
As the shark discovered in the North Port and named 'Bukang' attracts nationwide attention, citizens are flocking to the area during the holiday weekend.
It is reported that travelers returning home for the holidays who arrived at Busan Station also visited the park. Busan Station and the waterfront park are about 500 meters apart, making them within walking distance.
As crowds gathered the previous afternoon, Busan Metropolitan City Government sent out a safety alert text message stating, "Severe traffic congestion is occurring in the waterfront park area," and asking visitors to "refrain from using vehicles and use public transportation whenever possible."
Visitors are also expected to flock to the park on the 25th, the day of Chuseok.
Bukang, which was discovered in the waterway on the 18th, has been staying there for eight days as of today. As the number of visitors wanting to see the large shark, which measures 3.5 meters, up close increases, nearby convenience stores and cafés are also enjoying an unexpected boom.
The Busan Metropolitan City Government and other relevant authorities plan to wait for Bukang to leave the waterway on its own during the holiday period. If it remains after the holiday, they have decided to prepare rescue measures.

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter