SEOUL: Buses began moving tens of thousands of Scouts to inland venues ahead of a tropical storm, bringing an effective end to a World Scout Jamboree that had already struggled with heat, hygiene and land use issues.
Known for its insatiable desire to host international events, the South Korean government scrambled to keep the jamboree going as thousands of British and American Scouts departed over the weekend because of an extreme heatwave that caused some attendees to be hospitalised.
It wasn’t until Monday afternoon that officials announced the decision to abandon the coastal campsite in the southwestern town of Buan, after forecasters raised alarms that Tropical Storm Khanun was heading towards the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean officials say the jamboree will continue in the form of cultural events and activities, including a K-Pop concert in Seoul on Friday.
Critics have argued the decision to host the jamboree at a site known as Saemangeum was part of an effort to justify further investment in a controversial swath of reclaimed land.
More than 1,000 vehicles are being used to evacuate 37,000 Scouts from 156 countries, mostly teenagers. Most will be accommodated in Seoul and the surrounding area, where officials have secured university dormitories, government and corporate training centres, and hotels.
South Korea’s weather agency, which measured the storm at typhoon strength of 126kph, expected it to gain strength slightly before making landfall on Thursday morning. — AP
