“부캉이 닮은 AI 로봇 만들자” 시의원 주장에…“4대강 로봇물고기냐”

A rare blacktip shark named "부캉이" has been living in a man-made waterway near Busan's northern port for over a month now, having gone missing since earlier this week. The shark's disappearance has led to a proposal from a city council member in Busan for creating an "AI shark robot" that resembles 부캉이. This idea has sparked criticism from environmental groups in the city.

During a recent meeting of the Busan City Council's Building and Transportation Committee, an opposition party member, Yi Gang-mo, raised the suggestion of an "AI shark robot" that would look just like 부캉이. The city council member claimed that 부캉이's presence had attracted around 160,000 visitors, and that their absence had left a void. He argued that the time has come for AI-powered robotic sharks to fill that gap in Busan's tourism landscape.

However, environmental advocates criticized the proposal, comparing it to a failed "robot fish" project in the 4 major rivers of South Korea. Last year, the city spent a fortune on the 4 major rivers "robot fish" project, only for it to become a laughingstock among the public. Now, the Busan Environmental activists group has warned that the idea of replacing wild animals with synthetic robots is a dated approach that fails to address the true ecological needs of Busan's coastal areas.

They urged the city to adopt a more authentic and environmentally conscious approach to developing marine spaces that support life.