Polish president’s visit to World Scout Jamboree in Korea canceled

The anticipated visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to South Korea for the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum has been regrettably canceled, citing a confluence of factors including an impending typhoon and escalating tensions along the Polish-Belarusian border.

According to the South Korean presidential office, President Duda’s visit to South Korea has been canceled due to the impending meteorological disturbance.

President Duda was originally set to visit Hyundai Rotem and Hanwha Aerospace factories in Changwon on Thursday, followed by a visit to Gwangju and the Jamboree site on Friday and Saturday. However, with the Jamboree encountering setbacks and scouts leaving the site for the Seoul metropolitan area, there remains no incentive for the Polish president to visit South Korea. Poland is set to host the 2027 World Scout Jamboree in the northern port city of Gdansk.

Geopolitical tensions arising from the Polish-Belarusian border issue have also played a role in the cancellation of President Duda’s visit. Sources from the South Korean government indicate that the recent incursion of two Belarusian helicopters into Polish airspace and the movement of Wagner troops closer to the border have also contributed to the cancellation of the Polish president’s visit to South Korea.


Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com