Gov't, political circles scramble to prevent Jamboree from tarnishing Korea's reputation

Ruling People Power Party floor leader Rep. Yun Jae-ok speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

President orders 'unlimited supply of ice water and air-conditioned buses'

By Nam Hyun-woo

Korea's political circles are striving to prevent the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, from tarnishing the country's reputation, as the event has been plagued with complaints and health concerns over extreme temperatures, high humidity, poor sanitation and the organizers' apparent ill-preparedness to manage those risks.

In an attempt to control the situation, the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) held a meeting with government officials at the National Assembly, Friday, and said they will “thoroughly explain government measures to embassies and diplomatic establishments in Korea to address the concerns of foreign governments and international participants.”

“Some of the participating governments have officially expressed concerns on the condition of the event, and some parents of international participants are complaining through social network services, and we feel heavy responsibility for that,” PPP floor leader Rep. Yun Jae-ok said during the meeting.

“The atmosphere towards Korea is becoming increasingly positive worldwide, and this Jamboree should not be an experience they want to forget.”

A participant is carried on a stretcher at the Jamboree Hospital during the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, Friday. Reuters-Yonhap

The comments came after several hundred Scouts participating in the event fell ill due to the heat wave not only in the Saemangeum area but also the entire country.

More than 1,480 Scouts and other participants visited a hospital set up on the campground on Thursday, 138 of whom were suffering heat-related illnesses, the organizing committee said.

Since the first official day of the event on Aug. 1, more than 1,000 people have reported heat-related illnesses due to the high temperatures and humidity of the venue, built on reclaimed land lacking any natural shade or cooling systems while the daytime temperatures were hovering between 33 degrees Celsius and 38 degrees Celsius.

Also, concerns are mounting over sanitation at the campground due to a lack of proper drainage systems. Online communities are filled with posts about toilets being out of order, difficulty setting up tents on the loose ground, food quality and swarms of mosquitoes and other bugs.

As complaints grow, the United Kingdom and the United States have officially expressed their concerns, and a European country reportedly sent an official document listing its health concerns regarding the event to the Korean government on Aug. 1.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on summer vacation, ordered the government to provide an “unlimited supply of ice water and air-conditioned buses” and “improve the quality of the food.”

“President Yoon ordered all government organizations to make their full efforts to address the problems of the event,” said Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for public relations.

Following the order, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over an emergency Cabinet meeting, Friday, and approved 6.9 billion won ($5.28 million) in reserve funds to improve support for the event.

Han paid a visit to the Jamboree site Friday afternoon and announced that the central government will step up and take responsibility for safety management and operation of the event "until the last participant leaves Saemangeum."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, center, speaks during an emergency Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

The progressive main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also held its Supreme Council meeting and urged the government to take action to prevent the Jamboree event from becoming a failure.

“It is necessary to make a precise judgment on the event's situation and whether it should be continued or not,” DPK floor leader Rep. Park Kwang-on said.

“The government should not forget the painful lessons of failing to prevent crises that could be prevented… Though there could be contemplation given to the six years of preparation, budget and the reputation of the country, the top priority is the health of participants.”

However, criticisms are growing against both the government and political parties, as there have been concerns over the weather and the drainage system at the event since last year, when the organizers canceled a pre-Jamboree program.

DPK Rep. Lee Won-taeg, whose constituency is in Buan County, where Saemangeum is located, said in a National Assembly audit last October that the pre-Jamboree program was canceled because of a lack of preparation by the organizers, including the drainage system and measures to avoid the heat.

“The government then said it canceled the pre-Jamboree event due to COVID-19, but the true reason was the lack of a drainage system, as the campground was flooded after heavy a downpour in July,” Lee said during the audit. “We need to come up with measures to prevent harm from the heat, heavy rain, bugs and other diseases, as well as improving the infrastructure for visitors.”

At the time, Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hyun-sook, who is a co-chair of the organizing committee, said she would address those concerns.

DPK Supreme Council member Rep. Jung Chung-rae said at Thursday's meeting that “the Jamboree, which should be a joyful and entertaining event, has become an incident tarnishing Korea's reputation by giving participants an experience of disaster.”

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Park Kwang-on speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Blame game begins

Against this backdrop, rival parties have begun blaming each other over the setbacks at the Jamboree event.

“Korea, which has been described as an advanced nation (by the Yoon administration), is holding a poor event which is nothing more than a refugee camp, and I deplore the Yoon government's administrative capability for this,” Jung said.

Rep. Chang Kyoung-tae, a DPK Supreme Council member, also slammed the government, saying “the presidential office is avoiding its responsibility by blaming the previous government” of former President Moon Jae-in, a member of the DPK.

PPP floor leader Yun said the setbacks at the Jamboree event should not be the subject of political bickering, but noted that “the event was prepared by the Moon government and is now being hosted by the Yoon government.”

A senior official at the presidential office told the Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper that “the top priority is finishing the event without major problems, rather than finding who is responsible,” but added that “the event was prepared for five years during the Moon government.”

The Jamboree is scheduled to continue until Aug. 12.