Lost shark becomes viral star in South Korea, boosts sales and named ambassador

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A massive gray shark known as Bukangi has gained honorary status in South Korea's largest port city, as it continues to circle a canal where it has been stranded for nearly two weeks. The city of Busan embraced the attention garnered by the shark, which has drawn thousands of tourists since it was first seen on September 18 at North Port, the site bearing the city's name.

Despite efforts to guide the shark back to open water, officials on Tuesday deployed five vessels to the waterway, employing streams of water to attempt to steer the shark towards the open sea. However, the shark repeatedly swam past or dived to avoid the boats, remaining trapped inside the canal. With its health still intact, the state-run National Institute of Fisheries Science is developing a specialized net, 50 meters long, to facilitate its release into the open sea.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors have flocked to North Port to witness the shark's presence, with the city's mayor describing Bukangi as an integral part of Busan's evolving narrative.