TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s delegation to the 25thWorld Scout Jamboree in South Korea was taught an important lesson in preparedness as the event scheduled to run from Aug. 1-12 was prematurely concluded.
Jamboree organizers issued the order to decamp from a treeless, coastal area built upon reclaimed mudflats on Tuesday (Aug. 8), as Tropical Storm Khanum posed a threat to the area. But problems with heat, sanitation, and food supplies emerged well beforehand, with international scout groups from the U.S., Germany, and the U.K. pulling out days earlier.
Taiwan’s scout delegation numbered 1,600 individuals, and it was one of the last to leave the encampment at Saemangeum, in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Members of the delegation have been relocated to dormitories at four South Korean universities, per UDN.
Taiwan’s delegation is one of the last groups to leave the World Scout Jamboree. (Facebook, ???photo)
A scout leader from Chiayi, Chen Rong-je (???), praised members of the Taiwan Scout delegation who faced a harsh test of nature in terms of extreme heat, plus difficulties with showering and insufficient drinking water supply as the event continued.
Chen said the Taiwan delegation continued while other international scouting delegations withdrew, staying on until Tuesday (August 8) when organizers issued the order to evacuate.
Chen added the core value of scouting activities is to take children outdoors, allowing them to step out of their comfort zone and learn survival training skills. Moderate tests of endurance and fortitude can build character when conducted in a safe environment.
At the start of the jamboree, high temperatures of between 35 and 38 C proved difficult for scouts from cooler climates, leading to incidents of heat stroke and exhaustion, as reported earlier. Outdoor temperatures and the lack of shade led most daytime activities to simply be suspended.
The only cooling stations South Korean organizers had prepared were vine-covered walkways, which proved insufficient for the extreme heat. Furthermore, the Jamboree was remote and far from typical urban amenities and infrastructure, as organizers hoped it would spur development in this new area.
Scouts Taiwan Executive Lai Jinhong (???) described conditions at the jamboree sight as “unbearable” with no trees for shade, poor drainage, which led to campsite flooding, and swarms of midges and mosquitoes.
In a word, Lai said that poor “preparation” fell solely on the shoulders of South Korean organizers and specifically the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which oversaw the event, though responsibilities were shared amongst the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Interior.
Jamboree organizers are scrambling to host a closing K-Pop concert on Friday (August 11) at Seoul’s World Cup Stadium. The line-up of artists has yet to be revealed, though few believe a successful concert will do enough to assuage so many unhappy campers.
