South Korea embraces shark slowly circling a canal in the country's biggest port city

A huge gray shark named Bukangi has become an honorary mascot in South Korea’s biggest port citySEOUL, South Korea -- A huge gray shark named Bukangi has become an honorary mascot in South Korea’s biggest port city while slowly circling a canal where the animal has been trapped for nearly two weeks.Officials in Busan have embraced the attention brought by the shark, which has drawn thousands of tourists and now shares the Korean name for the city’s North Port, where it was first spotted Sept. 18.The shark, which officials say is about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long, has become a social media sensation, but guiding it back to open water has proved tricky.Officials on Tuesday deployed five vessels to the waterway. They sprayed streams of water from tanks while attempting to herd the shark toward the open sea, an effort closely watched by huge crowds on site and broadcast on YouTube. The crews gave up hours later after the shark repeatedly swam past or dived to avoid the boats, remaining inside the canal.Kim Won-ho, a Busan City official, said authorities will make another attempt as early as Friday to free the shark, which experts say is important for its safety and long-term health. Th...