Tens of thousands of youngsters participating in the 25th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea are being evacuated from the campsite due to an approaching typhoon, organizers announced on Monday. This comes after hundreds of scouts fell ill from the scorching temperatures experienced during the event.
The typhoon is adding further pressure on the organizers, who have already faced complaints from parents and the withdrawal of the U.S. and British contingents. Concerns about cleanliness and food, in addition to the heat, led to the decision of the UK Scouts to leave the jamboree, according to the head of UK Scouts.
Approximately 36,000 participants will be transported by bus on Tuesday to areas away from the path of Typhoon Khanun, which has already caused destruction in southern Japan and is expected to hit South Korea by Thursday, according to organizers. Alternate venues and accommodation in and around Seoul are being sought by officials to accommodate the evacuated scouts.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered the operation of an emergency response team to ensure the smooth implementation of these evacuation plans. Meanwhile, Kim Hyun-sook, the gender equality minister in charge of the event, has confirmed that the jamboree will continue as scheduled until August 12, albeit at a different location due to the natural disaster.
The governor of North Jeolla province, where the event is being hosted, has apologized to the public for the concerns caused and assured that the sanitary conditions, including toilets, have been improving. Water trucks and air conditioners have been deployed to help keep the participants cool.
In light of the challenges faced by the event, the head of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party, Kim Gi-hyeon, issued a public apology and proposed an investigation into the use of taxpayers’ money for the jamboree’s preparations.
The World Scout Jamboree has brought together more than 40,000 scouts from 155 nations. A K-pop concert that was scheduled to take place at the campsite on Sunday has been postponed to Friday, with the venue yet to be determined due to the typhoon.
This story has been refiled to correct a dropped letter in Minister Kim Hyun-sook’s title.
Reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies, Robert Birsel, Miral Fahmy, and Andrew Heavens, Kirsten Donovan
[Reuters]