South Korea’s capital city Seoul unveiled the ‘Metaverse Seoul‘ project which it claims is the world’s first city-backed public metaverse platform.
The mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, stated the top ten tourist destinations in Seoul would be among the services offered by Metaverse Seoul to the public, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul Forest Park, Han River, and Lotte Tower.
Additionally, Metaverse Seoul will enable tax services, proof of citizenship, civil service counseling, a youth mentoring counseling area, a fintech lab, and a corporate assistance center.
Seoul launched the first test run of Metaverse Seoul in August 2022. A virtual reconstruction of Seoul city hall and the Seoul Plaza was featured in the test run.
The first goal of the three-part Metaverse Seoul project, which should be finished by 2026, is to increase the effectiveness of public administration services. Metaverse Seoul is now widely available through the Google Play and Apple app stores.
The second stage, which is scheduled to begin in 2024, will broaden the services to include real estate counseling and tying international investors in with regional businesses.
According to Seoul officials, the final stage will include virtual and augmented reality technology for controlling the city’s infrastructure.
Oh Se-hoon added, “Metaverse Seoul will be an important communication tool for citizens in the new normal. It is an inclusive administrative service that everyone can take advantage of without any time and space obstacles.”
