South Korea races to help heat-struck scouts in global event

South Korea on Friday ordered the deployment of air-conditioned busses and freezer trucks as hundreds of scouts at a global event fell ill this week due to the unusually hot weather the country is currently witnessing.

Thousands of teenagers from over 155 countries are taking part in the World Scout Jamboree — deemed the world's largest youth camp — that began Tuesday in Buan.

With temperatures in some parts of South Korea crossing 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) this week, the jamboree is taking place amid the highest heat warning by authorities in four years,

At least 600 people at the event have so far been treated for heat-related illnesses.

What are South Korea's relief plans for the scouts?

Local media reports have deemed the situation as a "national disgrace," given the time the country had to make preparations for the event.

On Friday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's office called an emergency meeting.

The government then ordered an unlimited number of air-conditioned busses that the scouts can use for relief and trucks to provide cold water, presidential spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said.

The emergency meeting would make a decision "regarding the allocation of approximately 6 billion won (€4.2 million, $4.6 million) in contingency funds," Yoon's office said.

British, US Scouts to move into hotels, army garrison

More than 4,000 British Scouts will leave their campsite at the Jamboree and move into hotels this weekend, the UK Scout Association said.

"As we are the largest contingent, our hope is that this helps alleviate the pressure on the site overall," the association said.

"We will continue the Jamboree experience in Seoul, working with Korean authorities on a program of activities so our young people still get the most from their time in Korea," it added. 

Later on Friday, news agency Reuters obtained an email to parents of US Scouts participating in the Jamboree. 

"The US Contingent to the World Scout Jamboree has made the difficult decision that we will be departing the 25th World Scout Jamboree site early because of ongoing extreme weather and resulting conditions at the jamboree site," the email said. 

It added that the US scouts would take part in Saturday's program, but that they would then relocate to the US Army Garrison Humphreys site, located fairly close to the event. 

Organizers say only minority of scouts 'very unsatisfied'

Meanwhile, the organizers said they were modifying the schedule depending on the heat conditions.

"Despite the heat and the difficulties and the challenges that they are facing, only 8% reported that they were very unsatisfied with the experience so far," Jacob Murray, the director for World Events at the Scouts, told the media.

"We are grateful to the Korean government and provincial government for providing additional resources."

dvv/msh(AFP, Reuters)