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Busan Completes Chuseok Holiday Safety Management… Rescue and Release of Shark at North Port Waterfront Park to Begin

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Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Chun Jae-soo announced that an interagency meeting was held today, September 28, to establish a phased rescue and release plan to safely return the shark currently remaining in the waterway at North Port Waterfront Park to its natural habitat. Beginning tomorrow, September 29, authorities will use vessels and water pumps to guide the shark out of the waterway.

According to a field survey by the National Institute of Fisheries Science, the shark is continuing to swim and breathe normally, indicating that its overall condition is stable. However, given the width and depth of the waterway and the route connecting it to the open sea, the shark is considered to face constraints on feeding and unrestricted movement.

In particular, prolonged confinement in the waterway could gradually weaken the shark, so authorities have decided to guide it back to its natural marine habitat.

Starting at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, September 29, vessels and water pumps will be used to guide the shark from the inner section of the waterway toward the open sea.

This approach is based on a 2004 rescue operation in which a great white shark stranded in a salt marsh in Massachusetts, United States, was guided back to the open sea. Rather than capturing the shark directly or physically stimulating it, the operation will focus on encouraging the shark to move on its own.

If the vessel-and-water-pump method is not effective, a specially made net will be used. The waterway will be progressively blocked to prevent the shark from moving farther inward, while leaving only the passage toward the open sea open to guide it back to its natural habitat.

Throughout the rescue operation, the shark’s health will be continuously monitored, and the rescue method and pace will be adjusted according to on-site conditions to avoid causing excessive stress.

The shark rescue and release operation will be carried out jointly under the leadership of the National Institute of Fisheries Science, with the participation of Busan Metropolitan City, the Busan Port Authority, Busan Infrastructure Corporation, the Coast Guard, fire and police authorities, Dong-gu, and other relevant agencies.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science will be responsible for assessing the shark’s condition and providing expert judgment on rescue methods. The participating agencies will divide responsibilities for providing vessels, equipment, and personnel; controlling access to the site and ensuring visitor safety; and responding to any emergencies that may arise during the rescue process.

Meanwhile, during the Chuseok holiday, approximately 570,000 people visited North Port Waterfront Park, including Busan residents, people returning to their hometowns, and visitors from across the country.

In response, Busan Metropolitan City operated a joint emergency duty system with Busan Infrastructure Corporation, the police, Dong-gu, Busan Port Fire Station, the Coast Guard, the Busan Port Authority, the National Institute of Fisheries Science, and other relevant agencies. A total of 637 personnel were deployed for on-site safety management, including crowd and traffic control, patrols of waterfront areas, and safety inspections of facilities.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “I would like to thank the many people who visited North Port Waterfront Park during the Chuseok holiday and actively cooperated with on-site guidance and safety management.” He added, “We will continue to closely monitor the shark’s health and movements and work closely with the relevant agencies to do our utmost to ensure that it can safely return to its natural marine habitat.”