Yoon orders contingency plan operations for World Scout Jamboree

German scouts are organizing booths in the Delta zone campground in Buan-gun, North Jeolla Province, on July 7. [Photo by Yonhap]

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered Monday to activate an emergency task force team for the 25th World Scout Jamboree where all participants have been decided to leave the SaeManGeum venue in North Jeolla Province due to Typhoon Khanun that is forecast to affect the Peninsula.

Yoon ordered Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to “immediately operate an emergency response team to carry out a contingency plan for the scouts.”

“Under the guidance of the contingency team, please ensure the smooth transportation, accommodation, and cultural experience programs for the scouts in the Seoul area,” Yoon said.

The emergency response team, led by Prime Minister Han, is composed of the Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and other ministers, including those from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Others involved are the Mayor of Seoul, Governor of North Jeolla Province, Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, Commissioner General of the National Fire Agency, and Commissioner of the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Yoon’s order came after the World Organization of the Scout movement, in consultation with the Korean government, decided Monday to evacuate all participants from the campsite in SaeManGeum, anticipating the potential impact of Typhoon Khanun. SaeManGeum, being built on reclaimed land, is left vulnerable to potential damage.

The event’s participants are scheduled to move to Seoul and other parts of the country from Tuesday morning until the event ends on August 12.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to mobilize over 1,000 buses to facilitate the movement of 36,000 individuals from 156 countries. The ministry is working with local governments to secure administrative institutions and private educational facilities for their stay.

Seoul is also actively securing accommodations for the participants in collaboration with local municipalities, aiming to accommodate more than 15,000 individuals.

The Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, is under consideration as the venue for the highly anticipated K-pop concert and closing ceremony.

North Jeolla Province also strives to identify suitable facilities to host the scouts, with Jeonbuk National University already confirming availability for around 1,200 people.