South Korea Evacuates World Scout Jamboree Participants Ahead of Typhoon
BUAN, South Korea – South Korea has begun evacuating thousands of teenage participants at the World Scout Jamboree from a campsite in the southwest of the country to safer areas around the capital Seoul, as a typhoon approaches.
The evacuation comes after a series of challenges faced by the 10-day jamboree, including a heatwave that caused hundreds of participants to fall ill and mounting complaints from parents about the organization of the event, which led to the withdrawal of the U.S. and British scout contingents.
Typhoon Khanun, which has already caused havoc in southern Japan, is expected to hit southern areas of South Korea on Thursday before moving up the peninsula, bringing strong winds and rain, according to weather forecasters.
At the campsite in Buan, scouts were seen dismantling tents and packing up their belongings on Tuesday, before boarding buses to be transported to safer areas. More than 1,000 buses have been deployed to move the remaining 36,000 scouts from over 150 countries, according to officials.
The convoys will be escorted by police helicopters and patrol cars, ensuring the safety of the participants. Seoul and its surrounding province of Gyeonggi will host more than 16,000 scouts, while others will be distributed to six other areas of South Korea, said Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.
In response to complaints about poor sanitation, Lee stated that each local government will check the cleanliness of the accommodations and toilets.
“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.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered an emergency response team to ensure the smooth implementation of the evacuation plans.
Poland, the host of the next World Scout Jamboree in 2027, has canceled plans to visit the event in South Korea this week due to the typhoon, according to an official at the Polish Embassy in Seoul.
The challenges faced by the jamboree have tarnished South Korea’s successful track record of hosting major events, including the summer and winter Olympic Games and jointly hosting the soccer World Cup with Japan. The port city of Busan is currently bidding to host the Expo in 2030.
Despite the setbacks, the jamboree is scheduled to continue until August 12, with alternative programs and a K-pop show planned, according to the South Korean government.
