"Is the Jamboree a Squid Game?" Overseas Parents Express Outrage on SNS

"What Is Happening in Saemangeum?"
Flood of Questions Through Scouts from Various Countries

At the '25th World Scout Jamboree' held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, cases of heat-related illnesses are rapidly increasing. As reports continue to highlight inadequate heatwave measures at the event site, concerned reactions are pouring in from foreign parents who sent their children to this distant Korean land.

On the 3rd (local time), the official Instagram account of the UK Scouts was flooded with questions from Scout members' parents and families.

One British netizen wrote, "What on earth is happening in Saemangeum? I saw an article in The Guardian saying that attendees were transported to hospitals due to heat and illness," adding, "I heard the children have no food or basic facilities."

The UK sent 4,500 members to this Jamboree, the largest number from a single country. British media outlets are also competing to report on the Jamboree situation.

A foreign parent who sent their child to the Jamboree posted on Twitter. They urged for a resolution to the situation, asking, "What is the alternative?" [Image source=Twitter]

The Guardian pointed out that "As Korea wrestles with a prolonged heatwave, hundreds of Jamboree participants have fallen ill," and noted that "there is almost no natural shade at the venue." The public broadcaster BBC reported, "Over 400 cases of heat-related illnesses occurred from the first day," adding, "A significant number were treated at temporary medical facilities in the campsite."

Another foreign parent posted photos sent by their child from the site on Twitter. They wrote, "As a worried parent, I want to ask: Is there an alternative? How can anyone enjoy themselves in such a place?"

Some participating countries' governments have taken direct measures to protect their members. The UK government dispatched diplomats to the site to monitor the situation, and in the US, Jamboree participants were brought to the US Forces Korea base in Pyeongtaek to provide accommodation.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, patients are waiting at the Jamboree Hospital within the Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree campsite in Buan-gun, Jeonbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Some parents even booked flights themselves to bring their children back home. One parent expressed frustration, saying, "Korea is making them play 'Squid Game' at the Jamboree."

Meanwhile, the government announced additional measures in response to the surge of heat-related illnesses at the venue. On the 3rd, Lee Ki-soon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated in an emergency briefing, "We are discussing all procedures related to the heatwave warning to ensure they align with the safety of youth."

The Jamboree Joint Organizing Committee plans to reinforce each of the five Jamboree clinic facilities with two additional air conditioners, install blood donation vehicles and beds for resting heat illness patients to increase patient capacity. Cleaning of restrooms and shower rooms, which had hygiene concerns, will also be conducted.

Meanwhile, this Jamboree was held on the Saemangeum site. It is a large-scale festival running until the 12th, with about 43,000 youth Scout members and leaders from 158 countries participating. The ministers of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Ministry of the Interior and Safety serve as joint organizing chairpersons, and Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeollabuk-do, is the executive chairman of the organizing committee.

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