South Korea to look into world scouts event marred by heat wave, storm, poor preparations

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea vowed on Monday to investigate the shortcomings during an annual world scout event that ended last week.

“This World Scout Jamboree has brought forth numerous implications for us,” Prime Minister Han Duk-soo said during a Cabinet meeting, the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported.

His statement came after tens of thousands attending the event had to be moved from the Saemangeum Reclaimed Area, where it was being held, to other parts of the country due to a heat wave, storm, and other challenges blamed on poor preparations, according to Yonhap.

Underlining the “unprecedented challenge" faced by Seoul in hosting the event, Han said: “The government will have time to thoroughly analyze and reflect on the tasks that this event left us.”

Around 43,000 participants from 158 countries participated in events that began Aug. 1 and concluded Friday.

The event was being held in the western Saemangeum Reclaimed Area from where participants were transported to Seoul and other regions due to a typhoon and earlier heat wave.

Several diplomatic missions based in Seoul had raised concern with the South Korean government over issues faced by the participants.

Even as dozens of scouts fell ill due to heat wave, the event was later transported out of the Saemangeum Reclaimed Area due to typhoon Khanun. The South Korean government held a concert last Friday to conclude the mega event.