"Bukangi" the North Port Shark Named Honorary Ambassador of Busan, but Will Not Attend Appointment Ceremony

Over 8,200 Citizens Polled; 91 Percent in Favor

Counting Began on September 19, with 600,000 Visiting North Port

New Promotional Content Featuring Bugi and Bukangi to Promote Busan

A rare event has taken place in which a shark, uncommon in South Korea, has been appointed as a promotional ambassador for Busan.

'Bukang-i,' the shark that drew nationwide attention after appearing in the Bukhang Canal in Busan, will become an honorary promotional ambassador for Busan Metropolitan City.

On September 29, Busan City announced that it would appoint Bukang-i as an honorary promotional ambassador after collecting citizens’ opinions. The name "Bukang-i" was given by the public, who affectionately referred to the shark found at Bukhang. As news about the shark spread rapidly through social media, Bukang-i quickly became a new local attraction.

Yonhap News Agency

Following the first sighting on the 18th, and since visitor counting began on the 19th, a total of 600,000 people visited Bukhang Waterfront Park by 6:00 p.m. on September 28. During the Chuseok holiday alone, the number of visitors reached 480,000.

To channel public interest in Bukang-i into city content, the city held an event on its official Instagram account to gather opinions about the honorary ambassador appointment.

A total of approximately 8,200 people participated, and among them, 91 percent supported the appointment as honorary ambassador. Related content surpassed 1.05 million views, and there were over 10,000 likes recorded.

At the appointment ceremony, Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo will deliver the honorary ambassador certificate to Bukang-i. Since the real shark cannot be present at the ceremony, Busan’s communication mascot, 'Boogie,' will receive the certificate on its behalf.

The event, with the mascot representing Busan in place of the shark to receive the certificate, is expected to add an element of fun for citizens. The ceremony will be produced as online content and will be released through Busan City's official social media channels.

Busan City plans to develop Bukang-i’s story further as a new city promotional content. Going forward, content featuring Bukang-i will be presented through official social media accounts, promoting Busan’s image as a maritime city.

The city will also produce content featuring both Boogie and Bukang-i. On September 29, Busan City will share the process of Bukang-i returning to the ocean with citizens. Without capturing or physically stimulating the shark, the city will use a water pump to encourage the shark to return on its own, broadcasting this process online in real time.

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo commented, "Bukang-i has naturally become a new story for Busan amid the care and affection of citizens," and added, "Since more than 8,200 citizens sent their direct opinions, we have appointed it as an honorary promotional ambassador to reflect the wishes of the public."

He also stated, "We will continue to actively discover unique stories that begin with citizens’ interest and participation, and promote Busan’s municipal government in a fun and friendly way, together with our people."

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