Estonian participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree arrive at Yonsei University Songdo Dormitory in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, on Aug. 8, 2023, after leaving Saemangeum due to an approaching typhoon. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — About 37,000 young Scouts and adult volunteers from 156 countries began arriving at about 130 different accommodations in Seoul and seven other regions hours after leaving Saemangeum, the venue of the 25th World Scout Jamboree, four days ahead of schedule Tuesday morning due to the approach of a powerful typhoon.
The organizing committee said a total of 971 buses, escorted by 273 police patrol cars and four helicopters, had transported the jamboree participants to 128 new accommodations in eight cities and provinces, including Seoul, Incheon, 27 kilometers west of the capital, and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital, as of 9:40 p.m.
The committee said the other 40 out of the 1,111 buses deployed for transportation will depart Wednesday, carrying some 300 adult volunteers who are responsible for campsite cleanup.
It initially expected the site will be vacated within six hours from the start of the departure. However, the schedule was delayed due to safety issues, the committee explained.
The government said it has secured 64 lodgings in Gyeonggi, 18 in the central province of South Chungcheong, 17 in Seoul, eight in Incheon, seven in the central province of North Chungcheong, six in the central city of Daejeon, three in the central administrative city of Sejong and five in the southwestern province of North Jeolla.
By number of people, Gyeonggi will accommodate 13,568 people from 88 countries, followed by 6,274 from 18 countries in South Chungcheong, 3,257 from 27 countries in Incheon, 3,133 from eight countries in Seoul, 2,710 from three countries in North Chungcheong, 1,355 from two countries in Daejeon and 716 from two countries in Sejong, it noted.
The remaining 5,541 from 10 countries will stay in North Jeolla, to which Saemangeum belongs, to take part in the remaining jamboree programs.
A convoy of buses transporting the participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree to Seoul and seven other regions in South Korea are escorted by police patrol cars on an expressway on Aug. 8, 2023. (Yonhap)
The government initially pushed to move all of the participants to the capital area but expanded the scope to the central provinces due to difficulties in securing a large number of available lodgings in a short period of time.
Most of the accommodations are university dormitories, public institutions’ training centers and educational facilities.
The quadrennial global event kicked off in Saemangeum on Aug. 1 and was scheduled to continue through Saturday.
The evacuation decision was made due to Typhoon Khanun’s expected landfall on the nation’s southeastern coast Thursday morning, bringing heavy rain and winds with a maximum speed of up to 44 meters per second that the state weather agency warns are strong enough to derail a running train.
Prior to the early departure decision, the overall situation at the Saemangeum campground was gradually improving after initial woes associated with a scorching heat wave, a lack of preparation and the withdrawal of some contingents.
The young Scouts plan to take part in various cultural experience programs at their new destinations.
All of them plan to gather in Seoul on Friday to watch a K-pop concert scheduled to be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul for two hours from 7 p.m., the government said, cautioning about severe traffic congestion in the capital throughout the day.
The concert was originally scheduled to take place in Saemangeum last Sunday but was postponed due to concerns about accidents and heat-related illnesses.
“The K-pop concert will be held following the jamboree closing ceremony Friday night. The young Scouts and other participants will return to their respective lodgings after the concert before returning home the next day,” a government official said.
A stage is seen being set up at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Aug. 8, 2023, in preparation for a K-pop concert for the participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree slated for 7 p.m. on Aug. 11. (Yonhap)
Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min said each local government will check the cleanliness of the new accommodations and restrooms and devise measures to take care of the young Scouts’ health.
The police will patrol the accommodations, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will check the quality, quantity and hygiene of the food to be served to the participants, the minister said in a media briefing in Saemangeum.
Lee said the government will continue to operate the jamboree programs for the participants for the remaining five days, though some of them could be adjusted due to the typhoon.
Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook also attended the briefing, saying the jamboree has been expanded to the entire nation rather than having ended.
“The biggest issue raised by the world scout organization seemed to be sanitation. I think there was a lack of hygiene and cleanliness in the restrooms,” Kim said.
The world scout chief issued a statement about the state of the event, saying the jamboree is facing an unprecedented challenge for the first time in its 100-year history.
“This is the first time in more than 100 years of World Scout Jamborees that we have had to face such compounded challenges,” said Ahmad Alhendawi, secretary-general of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
He said the massive event has been “very unlucky with the unprecedented heat wave and now the typhoon,” but Scouts have shown “true resilience, determination and leadership in the face of adversity.”
(Yonhap)
