Opposition Criticizes 'Jamboree Disruption'... "Clearly a Matter for a State Audit"

"System Collapse... Ruling Party Should Call for a State Audit"
Yoon Demands Public Apology... "Incompetence Lowers National Prestige"

The Democratic Party strongly pressured the government and the ruling party, stating that a parliamentary investigation is necessary regarding the disruption of the Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree. They also plan to handle the parliamentary investigation issue related to the presidential family’s preferential treatment allegations concerning the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway route change at the plenary session within this month.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Park Seong-jun, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said to reporters after the expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th, when asked about the promotion of a parliamentary investigation related to the Jamboree, “The national system has collapsed. It is naturally a matter for a parliamentary investigation,” and added, “I think the People Power Party should be the first to call for a parliamentary investigation.”

Spokesperson Park criticized, “The Jamboree event has been marked by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s comprehensive and incompetent hasty administration,” and “The follow-up responses have been confused, resulting in the dishonor of being the worst international event in the history of the Republic of Korea.”

He also expressed concerns about foreign media reports related to the disruption of the Jamboree event. He stated, “There have been continuous foreign media reports that amount to a national disgrace, and there are concerns that lawsuits may follow after the event ends,” and “The focus of foreign media reports has shifted from issues of heatwave, safety, and hygiene affecting the Jamboree scouts to the operational and response deficiencies of the organizing committee.”

Within the Democratic Party, voices emerged calling for President Yoon Seok-yeol’s public apology and holding Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, the co-chairman of the Jamboree organizing committee, accountable. Spokesperson Park conveyed, “There was a voice (at the meeting) saying that the national dignity of the Republic of Korea is falling due to the incompetent handling of the Jamboree event, and that President Yoon Seok-yeol should issue a public apology,” and “Minister Lee, who serves as the co-chairman of the Jamboree organizing committee and secretary of the government emergency response team, is hiding behind the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to avoid responsibility, so thorough accountability is necessary.”

Criticism also poured in targeting the controversy over the mobilization of BTS at the Jamboree. At the expanded executive meeting held in the main building of the National Assembly that morning, Supreme Council member Jeong Cheong-rae said, “Is the Yoon administration’s intention to cover up the disastrous failure of the Jamboree with BTS?” and “This is an anti-nationalistic, dictatorial idea and an abuse of public authority. Thinking of the world’s top artists as mere mobilization troops is a communist-style dictatorial regime’s mindset, isn’t it?” Supreme Council member Seo Young-kyo said, “The government causes the accident and calls upon BTS? Is the shame the people’s burden?”

Earlier, Seong Il-jong, a member of the National Defense Committee from the People Power Party, requested support from the Ministry of National Defense to allow BTS to perform at the K-pop concert on the last day of the Jamboree on the 11th, sparking controversy over their military service exemption. BTS members J-Hope and Jin are currently serving in the military.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party reiterated the need for a parliamentary investigation into the preferential treatment allegations involving the presidential family regarding the change of the terminus of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project. Spokesperson Park said, “The Democratic Party’s natural position is that a prompt parliamentary investigation is necessary regarding the presidential family’s expressway gate parliamentary investigation,” and “We must devote all efforts to securing momentum. A consensus has been reached that the parliamentary investigation issue should be handled at the August National Assembly plenary session.”

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