S. Korea: Scouts camp nightmare

Tens of thousands of scouts from around the world have been forced to abandon a jamboree in South Korea. The get-together, held every 4 years, encountered a range of problems.

The first signs of problems hit as the scouts began arriving at the campsite, when a heatwave saw many teenagers collapsing from the heat. Medical facilities were unable to cope and there was a severe shortage of water. That was enough to see the British and US scout groups depart.

Concerns over cleanliness of the facilities on site, as well as issues around food – particularly for those with special requirements – added to the problems. On top of that, attendees were bitten by massive mosquitoes.

With each scout needing to raise approximately £3500 each to take part, it was an enormous disappointment. Nicola Raunig, a scout unit leader from Austria, feels the young people missed out.

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 decision to shut down the site and relocate the remaining participants came with the forecast of a typhoon. People were promptly shifted to university dormitories and other secure accommodation in Seoul.

The story made headlines in the South Korean media, with the situation being called 'a national disgrace'. Improved organisation was considered necessary, particularly as the scouts' well-known motto is 'Be prepared'.

That may be true, but for scout Axel Scholl, he felt great sympathy for the host nation.

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." View Less