On the occasion of the 25ᵉ World Scout Jamboree, which takes place until August 12 in South Korea, hundreds of people are suffering from sunstroke and dehydration. Temperatures around 35° are a challenge for the South Korean authorities, who seek to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of participants. Emergency resources have been released, but the organization of the event is singled out and is making headlines in the country.
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With our correspondent in Seoul, Nicholas Rocca
In the middle of his vacation, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the dispatch of air-conditioned buses and refrigerated trucks to protect the 43,000 scouts gathered in the south of the country. Among the participants, mostly teenagers, nearly 700 needed treatment or even hospitalization for symptoms related to heatstroke.
The temperature has climbed to 38°C this week in the peninsula and the heat wave is expected to last several more days. Some participants also point to the presence of insects, insufficient sanitary conditions and problems with the quantity and quality of food. Mold was reportedly found in hard-boiled eggs.
Embassies of participating countries have expressed their concern to the authorities who are seeking to react. Some 4.7 million euros have been released to improve food, create gray areas and send dozens of military doctors and medical personnel to the area.
The decision to organize a gathering of young people in the middle of August in one of the hottest regions of the country is also criticized. A controversy over the organization of an international event which the government would have done well without, while it is in the midst of a campaign to promote the candidacy of the city of Busan for the World Expo in 2030.
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