Ministry of Foreign Affairs Holds 'Jamboree Meeting' for Diplomatic Corps in Korea... 78 Countries Attend

Second Event Following the 4th
Typhoon Approaches, Participants Evacuate Urgently

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a follow-up briefing just three days after the initial meeting to explain the government's response measures for the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree (hereinafter referred to as the Jamboree) to the diplomatic corps in Korea.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Public Diplomacy Ambassador Hong Seok-in invited representatives of the diplomatic corps in Korea to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building to explain the measures the government is taking regarding the Jamboree.

In particular, as Typhoon 'Khanun' approached the Korean Peninsula, the government’s plan to evacuate participants from the Saemangeum site was explained, and opinions from the diplomatic missions in Korea were heard.

The diplomatic corps in Korea reaffirmed that the safety of Jamboree participants must be the top priority. Ambassador Hong emphasized that all ministries and the private sector will continue to make efforts to ensure that participants can spend the remaining Jamboree period safely and enjoyably.

This was the second briefing held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain the Jamboree response measures to the diplomatic corps in Korea, following the first on the 4th. A total of 78 diplomatic missions in Korea attended this briefing, a significant increase from the 23 countries at the first meeting.

At the first briefing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced that, at the request of the diplomatic corps in Korea, an additional explanatory session would be held during this week.

The Jamboree, which involved over 43,000 youths from 158 countries worldwide, sparked controversy due to a surge in heat-related illnesses caused by the heatwave and unsanitary and poor camping conditions.

Among the participating countries, the UK delegation left the Saemangeum site early, and the US delegation also moved their accommodation to Camp Humphreys, a US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

As concerns from diplomatic missions in Korea about the safety of their nationals participating in the event grew, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs formed a task force (TF) led by Second Vice Minister Oh Young-joo on the 4th to collect opinions from the diplomatic missions and relay them to the organizing committee.

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