3-Meter Bluntnose Sixgill Shark Spotted at Busan Waterfront Park: "Likely Lost While Searching for Food"

Response Concludes Six Hours After Report
Shark Sightings Increase as Sea Temperatures Rise

A shark was spotted in a waterway at a park in Busan, prompting a response from the Coast Guard.

On the morning of the 18th, a shark was swimming at the beach of Busan North Port Waterfront Park. Provided by Busan Coast Guard

The Busan Marine Police Station reported that at 8:57 a.m. on September 18, it received a call from a passerby who had witnessed a shark in the waterway of Busan North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. The authorities deployed the Central Maritime Special Rescue Unit, an inshore rescue boat, and a patrol vessel to the scene, and also requested support from related agencies such as the fire department.

The waterfront park features a canal connected to the sea, and on this day, a shark measuring about 3 to 4 meters in length reportedly entered an area close to a walking trail frequently used by citizens.

Through a safety text alert, the Busan Metropolitan City government urged, "A shark sighting has been reported in the canal at the Waterfront Park. We ask everyone walking in the area and nearby residents to be mindful of safety."

The Coast Guard, following the recommendation of the National Institute of Fisheries Science, decided not to capture the shark but to guide it toward open sea, as a forced removal could provoke aggression. It is considered preferable to wait for the shark to return to the sea on its own.

However, since the shark was reluctant to leave the waterway, the Coast Guard employed equipment typically used to drive away dangerous species, but with little effect. After more than six hours of efforts, the operation to drive out the shark was concluded at 3:15 p.m. on the same day.

Yonhap News Agency

The Coast Guard explained, "We have requested the Busan Port Authority, which manages the Waterfront Park, to install warning signs about shark hazards, and we plan to regularly monitor both land and maritime patrols for any recurrence of shark appearances."

The shark observed at the waterfront park was identified as a probable bull shark, belonging to the Carcharhinidae family. Bull sharks are distributed in subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including coastal areas of Korea, and are classified as a highly dangerous species.

This is not the first incident in Busan. On September 30 last year, the body of a shark measured at 2 meters long and weighed 100 kilograms was found at the exclusive dock of the Busan Marine Police Station. A month earlier on August 22, 2025, the body of a white belly thresher shark, 3 meters long and weighing 100 kilograms, was found off the coast of the Mullyangjang area in Yeongdo-gu, Busan.

Researcher Ji Hwansung from the National Institute of Fisheries Science stated, "Sightings of bull sharks along the East Sea coast of Korea have been increasingly reported due to the recent rise in sea temperatures. It is believed the shark entered the area in search of food." The offshore waters of Busan have seen more frequent shark appearances during summer as high water temperatures attract fish species such as yellowtail and mackerel, which are known to be prey for sharks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.