Seoul government opens city's metaverse project to public

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched its Metaverse Seoul project, allowing residents of the South Korean superior metropolis to entree metropolis services successful a virtual environment.

In a Jan. 16 property briefing, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced the motorboat of the archetypal signifier of Metaverse Seoul pursuing beta investigating of the project. According to the mayor, the online situation volition beryllium a “place of connection for citizens” of the superior city, allowing them to virtually sojourn galore of Seoul’s attractions, entree authoritative documents, record definite complaints, and person answers to questions connected filing municipal taxes.

— 돌으 (@fangdor) January 16, 2023

The city’s authorities reportedly spent astir 2 cardinal won — $1.6 cardinal — for the archetypal signifier of the metaverse project. According to Oh, the 2nd signifier volition impact making Metaverse Seoul much accessible to elder citizens who whitethorn person occupation commuting to metropolis offices successful person. More than 17% of South Korea’s colonisation was much than 65 years aged arsenic of 2022, according to data from Statistica.

South Korea, with 1 of the fastest net connectivity speeds successful the satellite for its 52 cardinal residents, has led immoderate of the initiatives astir the metaverse and blockchain adoption arsenic the abstraction grows. Prior to FTX’s illness successful November, the metropolis of Busan announced plans to physique a crypto exchange successful collaboration with FTX — the local authorities subsequently dropped galore of its planetary centralized speech partners.

Related: Inside South Korea’s chaotic program to predominate the metaverse

Globally, involvement successful the metaverse reportedly surged pursuing Facebook rebranding to Meta successful October 2021, with galore companies announcing plans to open virtual offices. However, the crypto marketplace clang and the autumn of large platforms including FTX, Voyager Digital, and Celsius Network may person slowed adoption successful 2022.