No one says they are responsible for failure at World Scout Jamboree

“We cannot answer your questions because excessive criticism is directed toward the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family,” said Lee Jung-ok, the then Minister of Gender Equality and Family, when the organization committee of the World Scout Jamboree was set up in July 2020.

“I don’t believe that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is responsible for specific details regarding the event,” said the former vice-minister of the Interior and Safety, who served in office during the event preparation.

The Dong-A Ilbo interviewed 11 former and current officials of organizations directly or indirectly involved in the preparation and operation of the 25th World Scout Jamboree, which ended on Friday, in order to write a white paper aimed at investigating the causes of its failure and prevent a recurrence. However, zero respondents said he or she or their organization was responsible for it.

The Dong-A Ilbo team reached out to five organizations that are members of the World Scout Jamboree organization committee – the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Scout Association, and Kim Yoon-deok of the Democratic Party of Korea – as well as the local government of North Jeolla Province, the Presidential Office, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which were part of the executive committee. The team was not able to talk to Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook and President of Korea Scout Association Kang Tae-seon. Both did not respond after multiple phone calls and text messages.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Presidential Office, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination refused interviews, saying that it was difficult for them to answer. Lawmaker Kim of the Democratic Party of Korea, who served as the joint head of the organization committee, said it was not the right time to answer and did not accept an interview. However, he proposed an investigation by the National Assembly in a press conference on Sunday, saying that an investigative attempt for strong organizations to make front-line public officials as scapegoats won’t find truths. Meanwhile, Governor of North Jeolla Province Kim Kwan-young said that the control tower of the Jamboree event was the organization committee, not North Jeolla Province.

Some say that such an attitude of avoiding responsibility drove this year’s Jamboree to become a 300-billion-won disaster caused by the government. “If related organizations continue to blame each other even during the investigative process to prevent a recurrence, it will further disappoint people around the world,” said a university professor of the Department of Administration.


ksy@donga.com