Busan:The city government of Busan announced plans to commence a rescue operation this week for a 3.5-meter shark trapped in a canal at a waterfront park in the southeastern port city.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the shark, affectionately named Bukang-i, was first seen on September 18 in Busan's North Port canal. Since September 19, the presence of Bukang-i has attracted 568,800 visitors to the park, as reported by the Busan Infrastructure Corp.

The city government, in coordination with relevant authorities, has decided to employ vessels and water pumps to guide the shark out of the canal starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The decision follows concerns that prolonged confinement in the canal could weaken Bukang-i's stamina. Should this approach prove unsuccessful, officials plan to guide the shark to the open sea using a specially designed net.

A field inspection by the National Institute of Fisheries Science confirmed that Bukang-i's activity and respiration levels remain stable. The shark's presence has significantly boosted public interest, particularly during the Chuseok holiday, when 483,000 people visited the park over four days, far exceeding the usual daily holiday average of about 2,000 visitors.

Initially, local maritime police and authorities attempted to drive the shark out of the canal. However, after the shark refused to leave, the operation was temporarily suspended.