UK Scout Chief: "Jamboree Participation Fee 5.82 Million KRW Per Person... Disappointed with Organizers"

Over 4,400 Participants from the Largest Number of Countries,
Early Departure Decided on the 4th for Move to Seoul

The representative of the UK Scout Association said on the 7th (local time) that the participation cost for the Jamboree was about 3,500 pounds (5.82 million won) per scout, and that the money spent on moving to a hotel after early withdrawal reached 1 million pounds (about 1.66 billion won), according to the British BBC.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Matt Hyde, the representative of the UK Scout Association, told the BBC that the participation fees were often raised through fundraising activities. These scouts used to hold fundraising events by making and selling pins or cookies at schools and local communities ahead of the Jamboree.

He also said that due to the costs spent on moving from the Jamboree campsite to a hotel in Seoul, the UK Scouts will not be able to carry out planned activities for the next 3 to 5 years.

Hyde also expressed dissatisfaction with the organizers. He said, “The UK Scouts continuously raised concerns about the situation on site, and although some improvements were made, they were too small and too late,” adding, “We are disappointed with the organizers.” He specifically pointed out four issues: lack of shade, insufficient food, poor hygiene, and inadequate medical services. He added, “Imagine toilets used by thousands of people not being cleaned regularly, and you can imagine what the situation was like.”

However, Hyde said that the UK Scouts’ emergency measures focused on participating in the Seoul program, so the scouts still have good memories.

The UK was the largest participating country at the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree, with about 4,400 youths and leaders. They decided to withdraw from the campsite on the 4th and moved to a hotel in Seoul starting from the 5th.

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