[The Editors' Verdict] Patching Up the Jamboree with K-pop

Only Stigma Remains as Closing Ceremony Held Today
Thorough Preparation Needed for 2025 Asia-Pacific Jamboree
Analyze the Causes to Prevent Recurrence

The much-discussed and troubled ‘2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree’ concludes today. As the largest international event held domestically since the COVID-19 pandemic, it was expected to generate trillions of won in economic benefits. However, due to poor preparation, the event was marred by disruptions and left only the stigma of damaging the nation’s image. To avoid repeating these failures at the next jamboree scheduled two years from now?the 2025 Asia-Pacific Jamboree?it is essential to thoroughly analyze the causes of this incident and learn from it as a cautionary example.

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Jamboree is also a major international event that tests national prestige. Although it will not match the scale of this Saemangeum Jamboree, which gathered about 43,000 participants from 158 countries, the Asia-Pacific Jamboree is expected to attract around 20,000 participants from over 40 countries.

Above all, careful consideration must be given to the selection of the host site for the Asia-Pacific Jamboree. The choice of Saemangeum as the venue was the fundamental cause of the disruptions at this World Jamboree.

Currently, Gangwon-do Goseong and Saemangeum?the site of this World Jamboree?are competing to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Jamboree. Saemangeum has already clearly revealed its limitations. Being essentially a barren reclaimed land, it was exposed to heatwaves without protection and showed a high risk of flooding due to poor drainage. How could the fundamental nature of a jamboree?camping together in a natural environment?be abandoned? Considering the increasing difficulty of climate prediction due to global warming, it is judged to be unreasonable to hold the jamboree again at Saemangeum. Gangwon-do Goseong hosted Korea’s first-ever World Scout Jamboree in 1991 and has already held the Asia-Pacific Jamboree three times.

On the 11th, the stage is being set up at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, where the closing ceremony of the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree' and the 'K-pop Super Live' performance will take place.
Photo by Yonhap News

The government, which clearly showed a lack of administrative capability, also needs to conduct a thorough reflection. There was no control tower to lead such a large-scale international event, and it appears that the management of the 117.1 billion won budget was not properly conducted. Despite warnings about heatwaves and insufficient preparation from several years ago, including last year’s national audit, the government did not take these seriously. There was also no contingency plan for emergencies. After the decision to evacuate the camping site, the event was hastily wrapped up with local government cultural events and K-pop concerts. The actual parties who managed the disruptions were local governments and the private sector, while the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Kim Hyun-sook, the responsible ministry head, sparked controversy with an incomprehensible remark claiming she demonstrated crisis response capability.

Korea first made its mark on the world stage by consecutively hosting international events such as the 1986 Asian Games and the 1998 Olympics. Foreign media criticized how Korea, which had successfully hosted the Summer and Winter Olympics and the World Cup, could prepare the jamboree so poorly. To make up for this, thorough preparation for the Asia-Pacific Jamboree two years from now is necessary.

The jamboree, which involves young adolescents aged 14 to 17, is called the ‘Youth Cultural Olympics.’ Since this is a sensitive period for emotional development, it leaves a strong impression on participating youth. The jamboree is directly linked to the image of the host country. This is why the Asia-Pacific Jamboree two years from now cannot be neglected.

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