Scout camp planners badly prepared - 16th August 2023

Tens of thousands of scouts from across the world have had to leave their big scout jamboree, in South Korea. The event, which happens every 4 years, met with a number of issues.

A heatwave struck just as scouts arrived. Several teenagers suffered as temperatures rose higher and higher. Medical staff weren't able to cope with the numbers, and there was a lack of water.

The British and American scout groups then made the decision to leave.

There were also worries about the campsite bathroom facilities and the food, especially for those on special diets. And people were bothered by enormous mosquitoes.

As the scouts had needed to raise a lot of money – around £3500 each – to attend, disappointment was high. For Austrian scout leader Nicola Raunig, it was a great shame.

Nicola Raunig: "I think it's sad because it feels like the participants, they cannot like enjoy the whole experience and that's why I'm sad because there would have been more they could have participated in."

The final problem hit when the weather forecast predicted a typhoon. At that point, the campsite was closed and the scouts were quickly transferred to the safety of university accommodation in Seoul.

It seems that the scouts' famous phrase 'Be prepared' was forgotten since the event wasn't managed properly. The South Korean newspapers went wild and said the situation was completely embarrassing.

However, for Axel Scholl from Germany, he felt too sorry to start blaming people.

Axel Scholl: "I feel very very sorry for the Korean nation and the Korean people because I think that they would have loved to present their country, their culture, their community in a more positive way."