Beginning Tuesday morning, tens of thousands of young Scouts will be relocated to the greater Seoul area under an emergency contingency plan initiated in the wake of the rapidly-approaching typhoon.

About 1,000 buses will be mobilized to transport some 36,000 participants from 156 countries. The Jamboree initially drew some 40,000 young Scouts from 159 nations, but the 1,500-member U.S. and 4,400-member U.K. delegations, along with participants from Singapore, pulled out from the campsite over the weekend citing risks posed by the heat wave.

“The relocation process will begin from 10 a.m. and the participants will be transferred in consecutive order…We expect the whole process to take about six hours, but it may take longer depending on the situation,” said Vice Minister for Disaster and Safety Management Kim Sung-ho during a briefing held at the campsite.

During the rest of their stay in Korea, the participants will be able to take part in alternative tour programs offered by local governments. A K-pop concert, originally planned at an outdoor venue in Saemangeum, is likely to be held in Seoul on Friday, which is when the closing ceremony is scheduled to take place.

Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hyun-sook stressed that the early exit from the campsite does not mean an early closure of the quadrennial gathering.

Vice Minister for Disaster and Safety Management Kim Sung-ho, right, speaks during a briefing held at the World Scout Jamboree campsite in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, Monday. At left is Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hyun-sook. Yonhap

“We are reviewing various activities with local governments, I would say we are broadening the scale of the Jamboree,” she said.

The officials were not able to immediately give an exact number or the type of accommodations that will be provided to the young Scouts, saying that discussions with local governments are underway.

Hours before the government briefing, the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) said it received confirmation from the Korean government about the sooner-than-planned departure from the Jamboree venue.

“We urgently call on the government to expedite the plan for departure and provide all necessary resources and support for participants during their stay and until they return to their home countries,” it said in a statement.

The early exit was announced early in the afternoon on the seventh day of the 12-day event. The Jamboree got off to a rocky start due to reports of horrific campsite conditions amid an extreme heat wave and poor management ― although conditions have significantly improved in recent days, according to some participants.

On Monday night, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the government to carry out a contingency plan for the Jamboree, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo leading a team of ministers including Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min.

“Starting immediately, the team will carry out the contingency plan in which the accommodations of the Scouts and their remaining activities can be relocated to Seoul and its surrounding areas,” Yoon was quoted as saying by senior presidential press secretary Kim Eun-hye.

The gender equality minister said concerns and requests from the WOSM and contingents from participating countries have also been reflected in the government’s decision.

Khanun was traveling over waters some 330 kilometers northeast of Okinawa, Japan, as of 9 a.m., Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The state weather agency predicted the tropical storm to make landfall on the southeastern coast by Thursday morning.

The KMA classified Khanun as a “strong” typhoon ― the second-highest level in its four-tier system ― and said most parts of the nation will be under its influence before exiting Korea on Saturday.

The unexpected change of the Jamboree venue has caused confusion among the teenage Scouts.

“We were told that we were moving to Seoul because the closing ceremony will also be held in Seoul. I don’t have more information about the location (of our accommodation),” an 18-year-old Scout from Germany told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.

An International Service Team (IST) volunteer from South America said, “I’m sure everyone will be evacuated, but it’s nearly impossible to get everyone out at the same time,” calling it a “logistical nightmare.”

The incoming typhoon poses another natural disaster for the Jamboree after an extreme heat wave already forced the several contingents to withdraw from the campsite over the weekend.

British participants who withdrew from the World Scout Jamboree campsite in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, watch news coverage of the Jamboree at Yongsan Station in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Other than the extreme weather conditions, the festive spirit was marred by poor facility management and dismal campsite conditions, as well as a controversy over a Thai man was caught in the women’s showers.

On Sunday, Kim Tae-yeon, leader of the 900th contingent of the Korea Scout Association’s North Jeolla Province Council, announced that his team was pulling out due to the organizer’s improper response to a sexual harassment allegation. According to him, a Thai man followed a Korean female official into the shower room on Wednesday night. But the man was only given a warning by the organizers.

Gender Equality Minister Kim sparked criticism after she described this as “a minor incident.” At a briefing on Monday, she explained that it was not her intention to downplay the incident, saying that she was initially briefed that it was a simple case of trespassing in the wrong facilities.

“The man has been separated from the victim and I believe an additional investigation (by the police) is underway,” she said.

Participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree rest under a vine-covered tunnel in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, Sunday. Courtesy of World Organization of the Scout Movement

Blame game

While the problem-riddled Jamboree is drawing criticism from inside the country and around the world, rival parties are engaging in a blame game over who should be held responsible for the poor planning and management.

The conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) is criticizing the previous Moon Jae-in administration for its lack of preparation during its term, while the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is condemning the incumbent government.

“It was during the previous Moon Jae-in government when Saemangeum was picked to host the 2023 World Scout Jamboree. The former president actively promoted the event and comprehensive plans of the Jamboree were initiated under the Moon government,” PPP Chairman Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon said during a party meeting on Monday.

The DPK refuted the argument, saying that the project to launch the Jamboree in Korea kicked off during the 2013-17 conservative Park Geun-hye administration.

“The Jamboree is an international event initiated by various administrations, including the Park Geun-hye government,” DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung said. “Blaming others, and blaming previous administrations, won’t bring solutions nor will it provide excuses on the global stage.”

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