Prime Minister Han Duck-soo once again urged officials to ensure the safety of Scouts on Friday as approximately 40,000 participants of the 2023 World Scout Jamboree are set to gather in Seoul for a farewell K-pop concert later in the day.
The "K-pop super live" is scheduled to kick off at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 7 p.m., marking the conclusion of the quadrennial gathering, which has been marred by a heat wave and a typhoon. Teenage Scouts and adult volunteers had earlier been relocated from the Saemangeum venue to inland regions out of safety concerns.
"I emphasize safety once again," Han said during a government emergency response meeting on the jamboree, underscoring the need for concerted efforts to successfully transport the young participants from various parts of the country to the concert venue.
The concert, featuring 19 K-pop artist teams, including NewJeans and IVE, will be followed by a 30-minute closing ceremony at the same venue.
"While the closing ceremony takes place today, the official jamboree period extends until tomorrow," Han said, urging government officials to pay close attention to the safe return of the Scouts to their home countries.
Han is also scheduled to attend the ceremony and deliver a closing address.
The concert was originally scheduled to take place at the campsite in Saemangeum -- a reclaimed tidal land area in Buan, North Jeolla Province -- last Sunday but was postponed due to concerns about accidents and heat-related illnesses.
The venue was initially changed to Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about an hour's drive from the campsite, and again to Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul as a precaution against the approach of Typhoon Khanun toward the provincial area. (Yonhap)
