On 3 Nov 2021, the Seoul government announced its venture into the metaverse—an immersive internet that relies on virtual reality. The South Korean capital announced its plan to develop a variety of public services and cultural events available in the metaverse. If the plan goes successful, residents of Seoul can visit a virtual city hall to do a variety of things such as touring a historic site, filing a civil complaint by donning virtual reality goggles, and many more.
The project is worth 3.9 billion won ($3.3 million) and is a part of Seoul’s mayor Oh Se-hoon’s 10-year plan for the city that aims to improve social mobility among citizens and raise the city’s global competitiveness. It further aims to tap into South Korea’s Digital New Deal—a nationwide plan to embrace digital and AI tools for improving healthcare, central infrastructure, and the economy in its recovery from the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the end of 2022, Seoul’s metropolitan government will develop its own metaverse platform that will be fully operational in 2026. The platform will host several public functions including a virtual mayor’s office, spaces serving the business sector, a fintech incubator, and a public investment organization. Moreover, Seoul plans to open ‘Metaverse 120 Center’ in 2023. The Metaverse 120 Center is a place for virtual public services where avatars will handle citizen concerns that could previously be addressed only by physically visiting the city hall.
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