Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Expresses Safety Concerns over Overseas Countries' Heatwave Jamboree

At the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree held in the Saemangeum area of Buan-gun, Jeonbuk, it was confirmed that several cases of heat-related illnesses occurred, prompting foreign countries to express their concerns through diplomatic channels.

At the Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree Press Center in Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Lee Gi-soon, Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is conducting a briefing on the 3rd.
[Photo by Min Hyun-gi]

On the 3rd, Lee Gi-soon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated at a briefing held at the Jamboree Press Center in Buan-gun, Jeonbuk, in response to reporters' questions about the safety of participating youth and whether there were concerns from overseas consuls, "There were inquiries, and we provided responses."

However, she explained that she could not disclose which countries had expressed concerns.

Vice Minister Lee also addressed heatwave countermeasures, saying, "All procedures are being discussed through joint meetings involving the World Organization of the Scout Movement, Korea Scout Association, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to ensure they meet the safety requirements for youth. As temperatures rise and further heatwaves are forecasted, we plan to reduce Scout activities within the camp and expand off-site programs through close consultations with 14 neighboring cities and counties."

She added, "We are continuously planning ways to provide shade and escape from the heat, but specific timelines or methods have not yet been determined. We will prepare these as quickly as possible with the cooperation of nearby local governments," emphasizing the urgency.

Regarding complaints about the cleanliness of restrooms and shower facilities, Vice Minister Lee announced that an additional 240 cleaning staff would be deployed on top of the existing personnel, and cleaning frequency would be increased from three times daily to hourly, 24 hours a day.

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