▲ Patients with sings of heat-related illness are being treated at a hospital within the World Jamboree campsite (Photo From Yonhap News)

   The 25th World Scout Jamboree was held in August in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, for the first time in 32 years. As it is a global competition that takes place every four years, it attracted interest even before the event kicked off. The media expected this tournament to focus attention on Korea and leave visitors with a positive impression of the country, but what happened was the exact opposite. Controversy continues in Korea and abroad as complaints of subpar competition conditions and insufficient measures persist.

   The World Scout Jamboree is the largest international event hosted by the World Scout Federation, attracting scout members from 14 to 17 years old worldwide. College students and ordinary adults can also participate as event management personnel and group leaders. The total number of event participants was estimated to be around 43,000 from 150 countries. As many events were scheduled, there were high expectations for the Jamboree. It was not long, before problems began to surface. At the time of the first accident recovery report, 807 participants had already sought treatment in hospitals, of which more than 400 were for heat-related problems. Complaints of improper care due to a lack of available treatment, medical personnel, or beds for patients were rampant. In addition, here was no medication on hand to combat insect bites from burn bugs, a toxic blue ant that visitors were in contact with while camping at the site. In terms of facilities, numerous deficiencies or inadequacies were evident. These included a shortage of electrical outlets to charge mobile phones, a scarcity of toilets, and subpar water supply conditions, which led to a power outage. There was also a lack of food, with hardboiled eggs and chocolate pies distributed in lieu of meal kits on site. However, some of the eggs were moldy and the entire meal kits had to be withdrawn. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety investigated and found mold in seven of the 19,000 eggs and determined the items were spoiled during the distribution or storage process.

▲ Eggs Given to the Jamboree Participants by the Organizing Committee (Photo from The JoonAng)

   On the official social media page of the Saemangeum Jamboree, parents and participants left several complaints seeking decisive actions to address the unhealthy environment. Participants also shared images depicting the unsanitary public restrooms, outdated equipment, and individuals being forced to sleep on the ground, to highlight the subpar conditions. Due to the unfavorable state of affairs, British Scout members made the decision to relocate to a hotel for two days, while the American Scout Association’s 700 members moved to temporary accommodations provided by the U.S. military stationed in Korea. In response, the Ministry of Women and Family Affairs held an emergency briefing stating they would take additional measures regarding the surge of heat-related illnesses and deal with the hygiene issues in restrooms. They committed to reinforcing air conditioners in clinics and deploying 30 military officers and 60 nurses to address medical staff shortages. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport deployed 100 large, air-conditioned buses as requested. Additionally, they supplied 15 refrigerated trucks loaded with cold water to the campsite. 

   In the aftermath of these incidents, questions surrounding the budget allocation for the Saemangeum Jamboree arose. A total of 101 overseas business trips were taken in preparation for the Saemangeum Jamboree by government central agencies and local government officials, however, their reports lack details. Another area of contention was that agents took fact-finding missions to countries with no prior experience hosting Jamborees, such as Switzerland and Italy. Moreover, the Samangeum World Jamboree Organizing Committee prepared a budget exceeding 100 billion won, with 39.5 billion won earmarked for the construction of the camping facility. In addition, 13 billion won was allocated to restrooms, showers, and water supply facilities. However, most participants suggested that given the actual campsite conditions, it is hard to believe the budget was appropriately utilized, resulting in less than satisfactory outcomes.

   The Dankook Herald (DKH) interviewed a professor in the Dept. of Public Administration at Dankook University about the benefits of hosting this Jamboree event. He said, “First it is necessary to think about what kind of event the Jamboree is, how big and important it is worldwide. The World Scout Jamboree is a worldwide youth camping festival held every four years. It can seem like an advantage that Korea has developed enough to be awarded the honor of hosting such a big event.” And when asked about his thoughts on the main reason for the current situation, despite the government’s apparent preparedness, he replied that it was difficult to choose just one and that the media have laid out major events in chronological order from the selection of the Jamboree venue to the operations. He added, “The Jamboree event is over, but articles about new issues are coming out every day. The most important thing is to investigate the exact cause of the current situation and after finding the precise reason, policy enhancements to prevent future problems should come after that.” 

   The World Scout Jamboree is a grand festival where teenagers from all over the world gather with hope and expectations for a great experience. It is an event to realize the jamboree spirit of fostering pioneers and open minds through various cultural exchanges, fostering international friendships and a camping lifestyle that promotes harmonious growth of mind and body. The festival, which was held in Saemangeum, faced difficulties due to an unprecedented heat wave and a lack of overall preparation. Despite having a budget of more than 100 billion won, it caused national shame due to poorly equipped facilities, heat related illnesses, a lack of food, and poor hygienic conditions. It seems that thorough planning and management are needed to prevent this from happening again in the future.