The World Scout Jamboree in South Korea is facing calls for cancellation after contingents from the United States and Britain pulled out a week early due to extreme heat and weather conditions. The U.S. pullout, along with Singapore’s, comes as a blow to the organizers and the South Korean government, which had promised measures to save the event, such as more water trucks, air-conditioned spaces, and medics.
Participants, mostly scouts aged 14-18, have been camping in Saemangeum, near the city of Buan on South Korea’s west coast, where temperatures reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit. This has led to concerns about the health and well-being of the participants. Some have described the experience as a nightmare, highlighting the financial sacrifices made by their families to send them to the jamboree.
In an attempt to address the situation, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered officials to showcase Korean culture and nature through tour programs in Seoul and other cities, available to all scouts. Despite the challenges posed by extreme weather, some countries, including the Philippines and Argentina, have chosen to remain at the campsite.
The U.S. contingent plans to take part in a jamboree program before moving to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys near the site on Sunday. Meanwhile, the largest grouping at the jamboree, the British scouts, have moved to hotels in Seoul for the remainder of their stay.
The World Organization of the Scout Movement has requested that the Korean Scout Association consider ending the event earlier than scheduled. The organizers will meet to discuss whether to continue, cancel, or scale back the event. The extreme heat has caused hundreds of participants to fall ill and seek treatment for heat-related ailments, leading to concerns from parents about the safety of their children.
As of now, more than 150 countries are participating in the jamboree, which is scheduled to run until August 12th.