First Emergency Operations Center Heatwave Level 2 Activated
President Yoon: "All Ministries Fully Mobilized for Heatwave Measures"
Jamboree Heat Illness Cases Near 1,000
Government Deploys Military Forces and 3 Billion Won Special Tax Grants
President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered an all-out response from all government ministries, including unlimited supply of air-conditioned large buses and refrigerated trucks, in response to the surge of heatstroke patients at the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree' currently being held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeonbuk on the 4th.
Regarding the 2023 World Jamboree, President Yoon gave these instructions and urged, "Immediately improve the quality and quantity of meals supplied to students and have all government ministries work with full force to promptly resolve the issues on site," Kim Eun-hye, the chief spokesperson, conveyed in a written briefing that morning.
The previous afternoon, South Korea activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) emergency duty level 2 for the first time ever in response to the heatwave. With heatwave warnings issued nationwide, it is expected that over the next few days, more than 108 areas will experience a daily maximum perceived temperature of 35 degrees Celsius or higher.
In this regard, President Yoon requested Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min via separate phone calls, "All government ministries must be fully mobilized to ensure thorough heatwave countermeasures. In particular, please devise meticulous and swift measures for the elderly, outdoor workers, and vulnerable groups."
With heat-related illnesses surging nationwide and concerns being expressed internationally about the progress of the World Jamboree, it is interpreted that President Yoon, who is on vacation, personally stepped up to respond.
At the opening ceremony alone, 108 heatstroke patients were reported, and the cumulative number of heatstroke patients is approaching 1,000. Several countries have sent protest letters to the Korean government and are communicating with foreign participants to listen to their inconveniences. The United Kingdom, which sent 4,500 participants, even dispatched embassy staff to Saemangeum urgently.
In response, Prime Minister Han ordered the dispatch of military personnel including engineers, medical officers, and nursing officers the day before, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety also urgently allocated 3 billion won in special grants to Jeollabuk-do for support. The 3 billion won can be immediately used for additional hospital air conditioning facilities to prevent heatstroke at the Jamboree, support for heatwave prevention supplies and emergency supplies for heatstroke patients among participants, and increasing air-conditioned shuttle buses.
Prime Minister Han also instructed Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook, co-chair of the World Jamboree organizing committee, to stay on site and take necessary measures until the Jamboree ends. Especially after reports emerged that journalists covering the World Jamboree were being blocked from entering the site, he also urged transparent disclosure of the on-site situation and measures taken.
Meanwhile, President Yoon stayed overnight at the Jinhae Naval Base on the first day of his vacation on the 2nd and arrived at Jeodo, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam in the afternoon of the previous day, where he is currently staying.
On the afternoon of the 3rd, Scout members are cooling off from the heat in the Delta Zone at the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeonbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
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