US contingent at jamboree in Korea departs for American military base in Pyeongtaek
Members of the United States contingent wait in line to board a bus headed to the American military base in Pyeongtaek while the World Scout Jamboree is under way in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, Aug. 6. Yonhap
The United States contingent at the World Scout Jamboree under way in Korea on Sunday departed for an American military base in Pyeongtaek, cutting short their stay amid an extreme heat wave.
Following criticism over insufficient preparations against record-high temperatures, the U.S. Scouts, comprising some 1,500 members, announced a plan to move its members from the site in the southwestern coastal area of Saemangeum to Camp Humphreys, an American military garrison 60 kilometers south of Seoul, and stay there until Friday.
Britain and Singapore have also announced their withdrawals from the global event.
Around 700 to 800 U.S. Scouts departed for Camp Humphreys on 17 buses earlier in the day, with the rest of the contingent planning to also head to the garrison in the afternoon.
The U.S. jamboree campsite is empty, with the national flag flying, after its members left the location amid a scorching heat wave that has stalled the entire World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, Aug. 6. Yonhap
Around 1,000 members of the British contingent also left from Saemangeum for Seoul in line with the contingent's decision to leave the site due to extreme weather. The British contingent, comprising some 4,400 members, started transporting its members to Seoul and nearby regions from Saturday.
The British members plan to stay in Korea until Saturday, the closing day of the jamboree, in Seoul while participating in various cultural activities.
Organizers, meanwhile, announced that a K-pop concert at the site that had been scheduled to be held Sunday evening has been postponed to Friday over concerns of a potential surge in cases of heat-related illnesses.
Gender Equality Minister Kim Hyun-sook told a press briefing that organizers were considering the most suitable venue for the concert to ensure safety and that the show can be enjoyed in a safe and pleasant environment. (Yonhap)