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| North Jeolla Governor Song Ha-jin and others cheer after Korea won its bid to host the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province. / Yonhap |
By You Soo-sun
Korea will host the 2023 World Scout Jamboree for the second time at Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province. The decision came Wednesday as Korea beat out Poland after a tight race, winning 365 of 607 votes from over 160 participating countries at the World Scout Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Held every four years, the World Scout Jamboree is the largest support event for young people aiming to expose scouting to various cultures and promote friendships extending worldwide. A record number of 50,000 participants from 168 countries are expected to attend the 12-day event at Saemangeum in 2023, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
The event was founded in London in 1920 and was held in Korea for the first time in 1991 in Goseong, Gangwon Province. In a bid to host the event again, many government officials from different ministries worked to gain support of member countries. North Jeolla province officials reportedly met with local scout associations seeking votes. Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also backed Korea by participating in the conference on Wednesday.
This makes Korea the sixth country to host the event at least two times, following the U.S., U.K., and Japan. The Jamboree is expected to promote activities for young people in the country and help the regional economic development of Saemangeum, a tidal flat spanning 40,200 hectares and boasting the world's longest man-made sea barrier extending 33.9 kilometers.
President Moon Jae-in welcomed the news and delivered a congratulatory message to the Korea Scout Association and the nongovernmental organizations that aided the achievement. He said Korea, by becoming the sixth country to host the World Jamboree for the second time, has made Saemangeum into a "land of challenge and innovation," and a "prime location where young people may awaken their potential and expand their dreams."
Also, the minister of gender equality and family Chung Hyun-back appraised the decision as a means to "enhance the national reputation as a leading country of policies for young people." Chung also said the Korean government will actively support the event so that young people from all over the world may "build friendships and dreams while experiencing Korea's nature and culture."
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