Budget of over 117 billion KRW, unused and carried over
Only 11% spent on 'underprepared' camping facilities
Early departures, urgent accommodation sought from public institutions and companies
Ministry of Gender Equality and Organizing Committee officials also change their statements
The '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree,' which was embroiled in various controversies such as lack of preparation and response failures, came to an end on the 11th with a concert and closing ceremony. Over the course of 11 days, the Saemangeum Jamboree, which was close to a 'controversy package' including heatstroke incidents, traffic accidents, poor management, and emergency evacuations, was also evaluated domestically and internationally as the 'worst jamboree ever.' With a total budget of about 117 billion KRW invested and various related ministries collaborating, the issue of where the blame for the future disruption will fall is expected to be a hot topic.
'Saemangeum Jamboree' Lack of Preparation
The controversy began on the first day (the 1st) of the World Jamboree held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeonbuk, when news broke that more than 400 people suffered from heat-related illnesses. The Jeonbuk region had been under a heatwave warning since the 31st of last month, with daytime temperatures exceeding 33 degrees Celsius. At the opening ceremony held on the night of the 2nd alone, 139 patients were reported, of which 108 were classified as heat-related illnesses.
As the situation unfolded, criticism arose that the site selection itself was problematic. Originally designated as agricultural and fishery land, Saemangeum was a reclaimed land with poor drainage. Not only was there a drainage issue, but when it rained, moisture did not dissipate, creating a sauna-like environment. During the heatwave, humidity reached 70%, causing numerous cases of exhaustion.
Poor facilities were also pointed out as a problem. Saemangeum was an 8.8 km² reclaimed area with no shade in the scorching heat. The Jamboree organizing committee announced that as a heatwave countermeasure, they would operate a 7.4 km vine tunnel, 1,720 shaded rest areas, and 57 mist spray facilities to lower body temperature. However, the vine tunnel was not constructed, and the shaded rest areas were insufficient. There was a shortage of restrooms, hygiene issues arose, and mold was found on provided eggs. The shower rooms had tent doors, which led to a crime where a male participant intruded into the women's shower room.
Compared to the number of patients, medical personnel and beds were insufficient, so after the incident, additional doctors and nurses were secured, and the number of beds was increased from 70 to about 220. As heat-related illnesses surged, about 15% of the total participants from countries such as the UK and the US decided to leave early.
Early Evacuation Due to Typhoon... Urgently Sought Accommodations
Shortly after the heatwave issue surfaced, the northward approach of Typhoon Khanun became another risk factor. As Typhoon Khanun was forecasted to pass through the country from the morning of the 10th, the government decided on the 7th to evacuate about 37,000 participants to eight cities and provinces nationwide.
The problem was that the 'safety measures' prepared in advance were not utilized during this process. The manual stipulated that in case of heavy rain making jamboree activities impossible, participants should evacuate to 342 indoor shelters in eight pre-designated cities and counties. However, this was not applicable for a full-scale evacuation in preparation for the typhoon.
As alternative accommodations were hastily arranged, public institutions, corporate training centers, and university dormitories in the eight cities and provinces nationwide were mobilized, leading to numerous complaints. During the rushed process of securing venues and assigning participant accommodations, local governments, companies, and universities had to prepare lodging and meals as well as alternative programs for participants. Police were deployed to ensure safety during the movement of about 40,000 participants. During the transfer, a bus carrying the Swiss delegation was involved in a minor collision with a city bus, causing minor injuries to some participants.
The K-pop concert on the 11th, a key event of this jamboree, also faced multiple crises. Originally scheduled for the 6th at the Saemangeum outdoor stage, it was moved to Jeonju World Cup Stadium on the 11th due to concerns about heat-related illnesses, and then changed once more to Seoul World Cup Stadium during participant transfers. This process caused confusion, including changes in pre-booked performers and cancellations of scheduled sports events and broadcast programs.
Poor Management and Unspent Budget by the Jamboree Organizing Committee
The Jamboree Organizing Committee was formed in July 2020, composed of central and local governments and private experts, co-chaired by then Minister of Gender Equality and Family Lee Jung-ok and Assemblyman Kim Yoon-duk. In the list of committee members submitted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to the National Assembly in March, the committee included five co-chairs: Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyun, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Han Chang-seop (acting minister at the time), Assemblyman Kim Yoon-duk of the Democratic Party, and Kang Tae-seon, President of the Korea Scout Association, along with Executive Chairman Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeonbuk Province.
However, the Jamboree Organizing Committee, responsible for implementing the overall operation plan of the World Jamboree, was embroiled in poor management controversies. In particular, the Gender Equality Committee and the Jamboree Organizing Committee not only failed to receive proper budget allocations but also failed to fully utilize the allocated budget. From September 2021 to November last year, the Gender Equality Committee's expert office issued three warnings about poor budget execution, and lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties reportedly repeatedly requested budget increases for the World Jamboree-related Gender Equality Ministry budget last year.
As a result, although the budget was increased, the 1 billion KRW granted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to Jeonbuk Province in 2020 was entirely carried over. In 2021, Jeonbuk Province, which received the Jamboree project grant, spent only 39.1%, and the Jamboree Organizing Committee spent 32.3%, carrying over the rest to the following year. Last year, Jeonbuk Province executed only 38.5% of the budget for infrastructure installation and development support projects. It was revealed that only 12.9 billion KRW (11%) of the total 117 billion KRW budget was used for camping site facilities such as restrooms and shower rooms, leading to criticism that the management was clearly poor.
Additionally, it was pointed out that officials from related agencies went on dozens of overseas trips under the pretext of Jamboree preparation activities. It was found that over 74 billion KRW was spent on operating costs such as personnel expenses from the actual budget used.
Changing Statements and Refusal to Cooperate with Press Amid Controversies
The responses from those responsible for the successive controversies were also evaluated as inadequate. Regarding the surge of heat-related patients at the opening ceremony on the 3rd, Choi Chang-haeng, Secretary General of the Jamboree Organizing Committee, said in a briefing, "There was a K-pop event at the opening ceremony, and as the youth released energy and were active, many patients occurred due to exhaustion," drawing criticism.
Minister Kim also sparked controversy by responding to a reporter's question on the afternoon of the 8th about whether the decision to evacuate the campsite would negatively affect the future bid for the Busan Expo, saying, "Through crisis response, we have shown Korea's capabilities to the world, so it will not have an impact." Furthermore, the daily briefing scheduled for 11 a.m. on the 9th, after the emergency evacuation, was delayed by 30 minutes and then abruptly canceled without explanation, leading to protests from the press.
Accordingly, a large-scale audit of related agencies and ministries, including the Gender Equality Committee, the Jamboree Organizing Committee, and Jeonbuk Province, is expected to be conducted regarding the responsibility for the disruption of the World Jamboree.
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