South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced Sunday a KRW 223.7 billion (US$185 million) investment to build the nation’s metaverse ecosystem.
See related article: South Korea wants to be the physical home of the metaverse
Fast facts
- The ministry will use its war chest to develop the decentralized creator economy, nurture talents, and support firms developing VR/AR devices.
- A pan-government council is in the works to tackle issues in the virtual space, such as personal information and intellectual property protection, and supervision of illegal acts.
- South Korea’s metaverse ecosystem is flourishing, while the emerging sector has become a new channel for sexual harassment of women and minors.
- In January, the science ministry announced a five-year strategy to become a top-five global metaverse leader, as local conglomerates, celebrities and investments continue flooding into the sector.
See related article: South Korea struggles to prevent sexual harassment of minors in the metaverse