Audit finds Scout Jamboree site was ill-prepared

The early closure of the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree—following widespread heat-related illnesses and sanitation issues—was the result of systemic mismanagement by the event’s organizing committee, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and North Jeolla Province, according to a government audit.

Despite a lack of functioning toilets and washing facilities and the absence of dedicated cleaning staff, the committee failed to take corrective action. The ministry worsened the situation by falsely reporting to the Cabinet that preparations were complete—even after it became aware of the problems.

The Board of Audit and Inspection on Thursday said it had referred six officials for criminal investigation and recommended disciplinary action against five others from the ministry and the provincial government. For seven retired officials, including former Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hyun-sook and former organizing committee Secretary-General Choi Chang-haeng, the board ordered that records of their misconduct be kept in personnel files in case they are reappointed to public office.

● Campsite selection mishandled from the start

According to the audit, North Jeolla Province failed to properly assess the suitability of the site when it designated Zone 1 of the Saemangeum tourism and leisure area as the camping ground in 2015. Officials selected the site based on a visual inspection alone, without evaluating whether it was appropriate for camping or required land reclamation.

The site, located near Saemangeum Lake, is prone to flooding due to its low elevation. Nevertheless, officials from department heads to the vice governor concluded that reclamation was unnecessary.

The audit also found that the province used farmland management funds to reclaim the site—a move that contributed to further problems. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs invested 184.5 billion won (about $138 million), but drainage infrastructure was not installed, as the land was expected to be used for tourism rather than agriculture after the event. As a result, water pooled at the campsite, creating muddy conditions throughout the jamboree.

The province also submitted a bid proposal to the Korea Scout Association that included false claims, such as that the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency would invest 951.8 billion won and that 100,000 poplar trees would be planted. In response, the province argued that adequate government support would have resolved drainage issues, and that referring to the agency as a “supervising body” simply reflected its role in the broader Saemangeum development project.

● Committee downplayed toilet concerns raised by prime minister

The organizing committee also failed to make basic preparations. Choi, the secretary-general, calculated bottled water supplies at one per person per day, saying tap water was drinkable. He halted the purchase of ice, calling it ineffective for managing the heat. The audit concluded these decisions contributed directly to water and ice shortages, forcing participants to rely on private donations.

When a cleaning contractor demanded an additional 1 billion won for toilet services, the committee canceled the contract instead of negotiating. It did not assign replacement staff, resulting in unsanitary conditions. Three days into the event, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo personally scrubbed a toilet during a site inspection. According to the audit, Kim, the former minister, testified that when Han raised concerns about toilet cleanliness, Choi responded, “What’s the big deal if the toilets weren’t cleaned properly?”

Blister beetles also caused numerous injuries among campers. The pest control contract had been awarded to a company with no experience or expertise in the field, the audit found.

The ministry, responsible for oversight, conducted six site inspections led by senior officials, but during three of them, they did not enter the campsite. Even after learning one week before the event that toilet and washing facilities were not yet installed, the ministry falsely reported to the Cabinet that all installations were complete.

In response to the audit, both the ministry and North Jeolla Province said they would “humbly accept the findings.”


고도예 기자 yea@donga.com