A large shark appeared in the North Port Waterfront Park in the South Korean port city of Busan on 18 September 2026. It was swimming in a canal connected to the sea near a public promenade. According to Coast Guard information reported by Yonhap, the first report from a passerby arrived at about 8:57 am local time.
Safety warning for visitors
The shark was estimated to be about three to four metres long. The city issued a warning message, and emergency personnel asked visitors to stay away from the water. SBS shows footage supplied in part by the Coast Guard.
Efforts to guide the shark ended in the afternoon
The Coast Guard deployed boats and specialist rescue personnel and initially tried to guide the animal towards the open sea. On advice from the National Institute of Fisheries Science, it did not attempt to capture it.
According to Yonhap, these efforts ended at about 3:15 pm. The research institute had recommended allowing the shark to find its own way out rather than provoking it through further intervention. The Coast Guard asked the port authority to put up warning signs and announced checks during its patrols.
Species identification remains provisional
According to Korean reports, the National Institute of Fisheries Science suspects a copper shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus), known in Korean as āė¬“ķģģ“ā. This identification is provisional; the reports cited do not provide a confirmed identification. Nor do they confirm that the animal returned to the open sea.
