SEOUL, South Korea. Despite scorching temperatures and health concerns, South Korea is pressing on with the World Scout Jamboree, refusing to heed the world scouting body’s call to cut the event short. As a punishing heat wave sweeps the region, thousands of British and U.S. scouts have begun leaving the coastal campsite early.
Since the jamboree’s commencement on Wednesday in Buan, participants have been grappling with heat-related ailments, making this one of South Korea’s hottest summers in years. However, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced during a news conference that the event will continue as planned through August 12. The government is implementing additional safety measures, such as deploying more medical staff, providing air-conditioned vehicles, and erecting structures for shade.
To address sanitation concerns, around 700 additional workers will be dispatched to maintain bathrooms and showers at the campsite. Some participants had complained about the uncleanliness of these facilities. Additionally, authorities plan to organize more cultural activities, allowing scouts to travel to other regions and escape the heat-related problems at the venue.
The jamboree, which takes place on land reclaimed from the sea, hosts approximately 40,000 scouts from 158 countries, mostly teenagers. Critics had expressed worries even before the event about the wisdom of bringing such a large number of young people to a treeless area with little protection from the summer heat.
Prime Minister Han defended the decision to continue, citing “significant improvements” made to address the extreme heat. He emphasized that the country is dedicating national resources to support the event, including government vehicles with cooling systems and shade structures procured from military bases, as well as medical teams from major hospitals.
However, the World Organization of the Scout Movement had previously asked South Korean organizers to consider ending the event early. The organization called for assurances that additional resources would be provided to address the heat-related issues effectively.
In response to the challenging conditions, the U.K. Scout Association decided to withdraw more than 4,000 British scouts and relocate them to hotels. Similarly, hundreds of U.S. scouts were expected to leave the site and move to a U.S. military base near Seoul. An email from the U.S. contingent explained that leaving was necessary due to the extreme weather and its impact on the campsite.
While some scouts and family members expressed disappointment over the decision to leave early, organizers maintain that the event remains safe despite the challenges. Choi Chang-haeng, the secretary-general of the jamboree’s organizing committee, attributed the high number of heat-related patients on the opening day to the energetic K-pop performance that left many teenagers exhausted.
South Korea recently raised its hot weather warning to the highest level for the first time in four years, with temperatures soaring between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius (95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit). The government reported at least 19 deaths from heat-related illnesses since May 20, adding to concerns about the safety of participants at the jamboree.
Despite the challenges, South Korea remains committed to ensuring the success of the World Scout Jamboree while taking measures to mitigate the impact of the relentless heat wave on the participants.
