hankyoreh

The Korean government has organized tourist programs like dance classes and visits to exhibitions for participants of the World Scout Jamboree, who have been relocated to eight cities and provinces across the country away from the approaching Typhoon Khanun. The new programs diminish the purpose of the scout gathering, which is to build friendship across nations, creeds and languages by spending time together in Mother Nature.

On Wednesday afternoon, the organizing committee of the 25th World Scout Jamboree 2023 revealed the roughly 170 cultural and experiential programs it organized for jamboree participants, who left the jamboree site in Saemangeum and are now scattered across South Korea. The list included trekking across famous mountains in Seoul and experiencing a recreational forest in Jangsu, North Jeolla Province.

“The purpose of the jamboree — experiencing new things, going on adventures and carrying out exchanges — is being emphasized as much as possible in the operation [of these programs],” the organizing committee explained.

The vast majority of the activities, which have been hastily put together by municipal governments as part of the government’s emergency evacuation plan, put to shame the original intent of the jamboree. Most of them constituted visiting museums, art galleries and arboretums or experiencing Korean traditional culture, not experiencing nature. Other activities include dancing by the Han River at night, yachting (Seoul), going to movie theaters (Sejong), watching an esports competition, as well as a field trip to a biotech company (Incheon) and a visit to Hyundai Motor Group facilities (Gyeonggi).

This bears no resemblance to activities outside the campground that the organizing committee originally prepared as well. These 31 programs, which were scheduled to take place in Gunsan and Buan, North Jeolla Province, mainly consisted of physical activities such as tug-of-war, board-jumping, arrow-throwing, hiking and trekking. These activities were canceled when the jamboree participants left the campsite.

Regarding this, an official at the Korea Scout Association stated, “Considering that the purpose of the jamboree is to familiarize oneself with nature and overcome difficulties, the current situation is definitely disappointing.”

Even the improvised programs are likely to cease operation for the most part by Thursday, when Typhoon Khanun will make landfall on the Korean Peninsula.

During a briefing held at the Korea Press Foundation building in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee Sang-min, the minister of the interior and safety, remarked, “Programs scheduled for Thursday will have to take place indoors,” adding, “I believe [municipal governments] will carry out indoor programs like the tea ceremony in [Korean] traditional culture with flexibility.”

By Oh Se-jin, staff reporter

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