[Editorial] Shark sighting in Busan is a warning from nature

On Sept. 18, a copper shark swam into the artificial waterway at North Port Waterfront Park in central Busan.

After the shark garnered nationwide attention, local governments, merchants, and the retail industry are welcoming this unexpected shark boom with open arms.

There is no need to chastise those who, after encountering a wild shark in the heart of a city, have responded with both fascination and concern. But neither should we overlook what the animal’s unexpected appearance in Busan may signify. A species that typically inhabits subtropical waters is a prime indicator of the climate crisis. 

According to figures released Sunday by the Busan Infrastructure Corporation, 405,800 tourists flocked to the park over eight days from Sept. 19 to Sept. 26. 

The shark has even earned a nickname: Bukang-i. The name combines the name of the site it appeared at — Busan’s North Port (Buk-hang) — and the “vacation” it appears to be reveling in during its time in the waterway.

Cafes and convenience stores around North Port have seen a sharp increase in sales.

In response to Bukang-i’s appearance, Busan’s Dong District decided to designate the shark as its official mascot. Busan’s metropolitan government held a poll on social media on whether it should appoint Bukang-i as an honorary ambassador for the city.

“Despite having cost 90 billion won to develop, the North Port has remained relatively unknown. Bukang-i’s acting as the unofficial ambassador has benefited the region in immeasurable ways,” Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo stated warmly.

While many Koreans have greeted the shark’s unexpected appearance with excitement, experts warn that its presence may be a sign of the climate crisis.

 Choi Yoon, an emeritus professor of marine biology at Kunsan University, noted that 49 species of sharks are currently found in Korea’s surrounding seas. He predicted that this number will increase to more than 60 within the next 10 years as subtropical sharks migrate northward due to rising sea temperatures.

 As warm-current fishes such as sardines, mackerel, and yellowfin tuna migrate into the waters around the Korean Peninsula, sharks are also moving northward in pursuit of their prey.

 According to the National Institute of Fisheries Science, surface water temperatures in Korea’s surrounding seas and the East Sea have risen 1.58 and 2.04 degrees Celsius from 1968 to 2025, respectively.

 As such, this has changed which types of fish live in Korea’s surrounding seas — pollocks, which are cold-current fish, have disappeared, while yellowtails, which are warm-current fish, are being caught in the East Sea.  

 Globally, concerns tied to human survival are also becoming more than mere concerns —the decrease in plankton is leading to declining fish populations, and the melting of polar ice caps is causing sea levels to rise.

 The appearance of a copper shark in Busan should serve as a warning. It is a stark reminder that nature is already responding to the damage we continue to inflict on the environment.

 The Korean government and local entities must refrain from reducing Bukang-i to a mere spectacle or a boon for marketing.

 Our society must ask why Bukang-i made its way to the Busan North Port, reflect on our lives and social systems that revolve around fossil fuels, and ponder over alternative measures we can take to protect our environment.