More than 1,000 buses have been deployed to move scouts out of the southwest, an area Typhoon Khanun is expected to hit as early as Wednesday.
There were about 36,000 participants at the campsite near the town of Buan, and more than two-thirds have already left, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min told reporters.
Seoul and its surrounding province of Gyeonggi would host nearly half of the scouts, with the rest spread across six other regions, Lee said. Police cars and helicopters will escort convoys to safety, he added.
South Korean organizers are keen to minimize any further issues at the jamboree, the first global gathering of scouts since the pandemic. Since the event began last week, hundreds of attendees have fallen ill from a heat wave, sparking criticism from the public and parents over a lack of preparation.
The British Scout contingent, the event’s largest, also left early, citing lack of sanitation and poor food quality, among other concerns. The group of American scouts followed.
“This is the first time in more than 100 years of World Scout Jamborees that we have had to face such complicated challenges,” Ahmad Alhendawi, secretary general of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, said in a statement.
At the sprawling campsite, scouts took down tents and folded up groundsheets, before carrying their backpacks to board nearby buses.
Typhoon Khanun, which has already wreaked havoc in southern Japan, is heading towards South Korea bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 125 km/h (78 mph) as early as Tuesday afternoon, according to the meteorological agency.
Khanun is expected to hit southern parts of South Korea on Wednesday afternoon before moving up the peninsula, prompting the government to raise its typhoon alert to the highest level and close some roads, mountain trails and beaches.
President Yoon Suk Yeol called for thorough preparations for the typhoon, warning of further damage, especially in areas hit by torrential rains last month. He also ordered the scouts to be evacuated without problem.
“We will do everything we can to ensure their safety until the end of the event, so that young people around the world can return home with good memories,” Yoon said at an emergency meeting. the typhoon.
Poland is due to host the next World Scout Jamboree in 2027, but President Andrzej Duda has canceled plans to attend this year’s closing ceremony due to the typhoon, an official from the Polish Embassy in Seoul has said.
A closing ceremony, followed by a K-pop concert, will now be held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday, the culture ministry said.
South Korea has successfully hosted several major events, including the Summer and Winter Olympics, as well as co-hosting the FIFA World Cup with Japan. The port city of Busan is currently a candidate to host Expo in 2030.
