Drenched! Education chief gets unexpected shower

/ Yonhap

Education minister Hwang Woo-yea got doused with water Wednesday when he mistakenly activated an emergency shower during a visit to a university in western Busan.

The incident occurred when Hwang was inspecting a laboratory at the University of Erlangen-Nuremburg’s branch campus in the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone.

Hwang grabbed a red pull handle, which was part of a shower system intended to wash harmful substances from scientists.

/ Yonhap

Photos captured the scene as water burst from the showerhead, drenching Hwang.

The wet surprise was the result of a misunderstanding, said Kang Sung-cheol, a public relations officer with the ministry. Hwang believed it would be air ― not water ― that would shoot from the nozzle.

However, Kang said the minister laughed off the incident as a “special moment.”

Netizens dubbed the incident an "unintended Ice Bucket Challenge" after the photographs were published.