K-pop to the rescue? S. Korea all-in for scout jamboree closing concert

SEOUL - Tens of thousands of scouts gathered Friday for a massive K-pop festival in Seoul, as South Korea seeks to salvage a problem-plagued jamboree with "the power of Korean culture".

The quadrennial world jamboree gathered 43,000 scouts in North Jeolla province, but an unprecedented heatwave prompted mass illnesses, US and UK contingents left early amid reports of dire campsite conditions, and a tropical storm finally forced a full evacuation this week.

The scouts were dispersed across the country and sent on government-sponsored cultural tours, but the "K-pop Superlive" concert - featuring major acts including NewJeans and The Boyz - has reunited all jamboree participants for a grand finale.

Tens of thousands of scouts in colourful uniforms and neckties, some wearing facepaint or waving flags, filled Seoul's World Cup Stadium Friday for a closing ceremony ahead of the concert.

"The last few days have not been easy, to say the least," said Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary-General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

"Your dream of this jamboree was a different one," he said, adding to loud cheers that they had finally "reunited our jamboree." Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told the scouts that he hoped "the cultural experiences you had in various parts of Korea and the K-pop concert which will be held shortly will remain as beautiful memories for you." But even as the government throws millions of dollars in emergency funding into fixing an event that has been a public relations disaster, criticism - from K-pop fans to public sector employees - is mounting over Seoul's approach.

A popular TV music program, set to feature some acts now performing at the jamboree, was abruptly cancelled for undisclosed reasons.

Lawmaker Sung Il-jong faced backlash from K-pop fans after saying the army should let megastars BTS - on hiatus while two members serve mandatory military terms - reunite and perform.

K-pop columnist Isak Choi said the plan betrayed "a terrible totalitarian idea that the state owns K-pop", she said on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.

The Yonhap News Agency reported that around 1,000 employees at public institutions - such as the Korea Development Bank and the Korea Electric Power Corporation -- had been "mobilised" to help out with the concert.

"Although the words used are 'request for cooperation', it's almost at the level of forced conscription during wartime," the Korean Financial Industry Union said in an angry response.

The venue - Seoul's World Cup Stadium - is also proving controversial, as wildly expensive "hybrid grass", ideal for sporting events, will be damaged by the concert stage.

"Idol fans are shedding tears as their favorites are being pulled out at the last minute. Football fans are also shedding tears as the expensive grass in the stadium is getting destroyed," one disgruntled person wrote on X in Korean.

"Who exactly benefits from this Jamboree concert?" - AFP