{
  "id": 12305636,
  "title": "Busan shark refuses to leave canal for 3 weeks despite rescue attempts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/busan-shark-refuses-to-leave-canal-for-3-weeks-despite-rescue-attempts-12305636",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T05:12:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/environment-animals/20261006/busan-shark-refuses-to-leave-canal-for-3-weeks-despite-rescue-attempts"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly three weeks have passed since a shark, dubbed Bukang-i, became an internet sensation after becoming trapped in a canal at a waterfront park in Busan, South Korea. Despite repeated rescue attempts by local authorities, the shark remained in the canal, drawing crowds of onlookers. The incident began on September 18 when the shark was first spotted in the narrow canal at North Port, located about 330 kilometers south of Seoul. For the next two days, the park saw a nearly 20,000 visitor increase, a fivefold jump from its usual daily average of around 2,000 visitors during holidays. The public's fascination with Bukang-i reached its peak during the Chuseok holiday, which occurred on September 25. During this period, the park experienced a daily average of 120,750 visitors between September 24 and September 27. Bukang-i has since become an honorary ambassador of Busan, attracting 1.02 million visitors to the park as of Monday. Despite initial efforts by maritime police and other authorities to relocate the shark, it remained in the canal, prompting further rescue attempts.",
  "summary": "Nearly three weeks have passed as of Tuesday since a shark, now the most famous of its kind in Korea, got trapped in a canal at a waterfront park in the southeastern city of Busan, despite local authorities' rescue attempts. The shark was first spotted Sept. 18 in the narrow canal at the city's North Port, located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. For the next two days, nearly 20,000 visitors…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Busan shark refuses to leave canal for 3 weeks despite rescue attempts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/busan-shark-refuses-to-leave-canal-for-3-weeks-despite-rescue-attempts",
        "published": "2026-10-06T04:23:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Busan shark refuses to leave canal for 3 weeks despite rescue attempts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/busan-shark-refuses-to-leave-canal-for-3-weeks-despite-rescue-attempts-12308929",
        "published": "2026-10-06T05:37:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}