Government administrative departments in Seoul, South Korea have pledged $33.1 million USD to a project aimed at deploying virtual reality (VR) Metaverse-based systems across all public services to create its ‘Metaverse Seoul’ project by 2026, Aju Daily reported on Wednesday.
The five-year plan will transform Seoul’s public services by allowing employees to communicate to members of the public via an official Metaverse platform using 3D avatars and immersive environments.
Seoul officials will debut its Metaverse platform by 2022 and its ‘Metaverse 120 Center’ civil service office will open its doors across the capital’s economy, tourism, and education sectors in 2023.
City officials have also confirmed the Metaverse platform will host a future mayor’s office, Fintech Lab, Invest Seoul, and a further campus town, the Korea Herald reported on Wednesday.
Seoul will also provide extended reality (XR) solutions to boost the well-being of socially disadvantaged individuals, and plans to launch an annual Metaverse lantern festival with the South Korean government.
According to Aju Daily, education institutions in Seoul are already adopting Metaverse technologies by hosting roughly 2,100 students in a VR exhibition hall called “Gather Town.”
In early July, the Seoul government started their Metaverse journey with partners such as the Cultural Heritage Administration, Cheil Worldwide Inc, and Woomi Construction to create digital twins that recreate government offices and historical traditions from the Joseon Dynasty.
Building a Future on the Metaverse
The metaverse has become a global trending topic after Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s Chief Executive and Founder, announced Facebook’s rebranding and new focus on developing its Horizon platform.
Going forward, Meta has provided $50 million USD in funding to create an ethical Metaverse and Nick Clegg, Head of Global Affairs and Communications, said in an interview this week Meta is developing systems to protect Horizon users. The Menlo Park-based firm has also pledged 10,000 EU hires over five years to develop the platform in a bid to expand the company’s ambitious targets.