Mass Outbreak of Heat-Related Illnesses... Jamboree Faces 'Disgrace' Due to Inadequate Management

Flat Campsite Without Trees or Shade
Some Areas Muddy Due to Monsoon
"International Event, but Progress Is Too Inadequate"

"I wondered why we even did this in such hot weather," "In the scorching sun, with bugs too, I really don't know what they were trying to do."

At the opening ceremony of the "25th World Scout Jamboree" held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, where more than 80 cases of heat-related illnesses occurred amid a series of heatwave damages, voices criticizing the host's lack of preparation and poor management are emerging.

At the Jamboree campsite, over 400 heat-related illness cases occurred in a cluster on the opening day, the 1st. Concerns are being raised about whether the event, which runs until the 12th, should proceed amid scorching heat with daytime temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius.

On the opening day of the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree, scouts are cooling off at the water facilities at the campsite in Haseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A parent, Mr. A, whose middle school child participated in the Jamboree, said in an interview with MBC Radio, "(My child) sounded very exhausted over the phone," adding, "I also kept watching the live broadcast of the opening ceremony, and the management was really inadequate. People sitting in the back probably couldn't even see the stage."

Mr. A revealed, "There was nothing right about food, drinks, restrooms, or showers," and said, "In an emergency, kids should be able to call and have a way to contact their parents, but there was no guidance on any manual."

The Jamboree is a camping festival for youth worldwide held every four years by the World Organization of the Scout Movement. This time, 43,225 participants from 159 countries took part. It is the second time the event is held in Korea, following Gangwon-do Goseong in 1991.

Saemangeum was selected as the venue six years ago in 2017 at the World Organization of the Scout Movement General Assembly held in Baku, Azerbaijan, beating Gdansk, Poland. The campsite covers an area of 8.84 square kilometers on the Saemangeum site, making it the largest in the history of the event.

On the opening day of the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree, a participant is resting in the shade at the event site in Haseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeonbuk. A heatwave warning is in effect in Buan-gun on this day.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the Saemangeum campsite is being criticized as an unsuitable environment for camping in the heatwave. The vast site lacks trees, resulting in insufficient shade, and being adjacent to the sea, it reportedly has high humidity. The flat campsite has some areas still muddy due to rainwater not draining properly after the recent monsoon.

Besides the hot weather, voices pointed out the host's lack of preparation and poor management. Mr. A said, "Food, drinks, restrooms, showers?all were problematic, and my child said it was very tough," adding, "Some restrooms were unisex, and there was no lighting at night, though now they say lights have been installed. There were places without electricity."

Protest posts are flooding social networking services (SNS) promoting the Jamboree. One parent lamented, "I can't sleep after sending my child. I didn't expect the Jamboree to be so poorly prepared. All facilities and management are terrible." Another parent said, "My son is participating but is struggling with the heat and mosquitoes. He wanted to quit midway, but I persuaded him to endure one more day. This international event is being managed so immaturely that I can only sigh."

Meanwhile, on the 3rd, both ruling and opposition parties urged the government to take active measures to ensure the health and safety of Jamboree participants.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.