The concept of a Metaverse refers to a virtual world or collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent Virtual Reality, where people can interact in an immersive environment.
Cities can benefit from being part of the Metaverse by providing virtual versions of their real-world locations and attractions, which can increase tourism and boost their economic activity.
Cities can also use virtual environments to test and showcase new urban planning ideas as well as providing virtual public areas for citizens to gather and interact.
Additionally, cities can use the Metaverse for civic engagement and participation, such as virtual town halls and meetings, and for providing virtual services such as education and telemedicine.
All that said, the first city that has joined the Metaverse has emerged; Seoul, the capital of South Korea has a presence in the Metaverse and great plans for expansion ahead. Here is what they have done so far.
Planning and launching the first Metaverse city
In November 2021, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced its ambitious roadmap to becoming the world’s first city to join the Metaverse by 2023. The promise was kept. Seoul is the first city that has joined the Metaverse.
The five-year plan included a glimpse of how the virtual universe could change the future of cities as we know them, in South Korea and beyond.
In January 2022, Seoul revealed it would invest $5.2 in metaverse technologies as part of its digital transformation strategy and its plans to establish a platform for full contactless communication by the end of 2022. By doing this, this city of the future became the world’s first to enter the Metaverse.
South Korea’s capital launched the first of a total of three stages of Metaverse Seoul, a contactless communication channel aimed at providing a new-concept of public service, at the end of November 2022.
The official launch included digital services that citizens can apply and receive various proof documents and a metaverse compliant center with a live chat service.
The three stages of the Metaverse Seoul platform is going to include business support facilities and services including the Virtual Mayor’s Office, Seoul FinTech Labs, Invest Seoul, and Seoul Campus Town.
The Metaverse 120 Centre is opening in 2023 as a virtual public service centre. The Virtual Tourist Zone is going to include major tourist attractions and lost historical sources will be recreated in the virtual space. From 2023 onwards, Seoul’s leading festivals, such as the Seoul Lantern Festival, will be held in the metaverse.
Metaverse Seoul will also include services for the socially vulnerable including safety and convenience content for people with disabilities using Extended Reality (XR).
Since the Metaverse platform has been developed with advanced technologies, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has also established a policy that provides public service without the restrictions of the real world such as those caused by temporal/spatial limitations and language barrier. The platform application will be expanded to all areas of its municipal administration, increasing working efficiency of government officials.
The five-year plan includes 20 promotional tasks for seven areas reflecting the trends and demands for Metaverse service in the public and private sectors. The areas represented in Metaverse Seoul include economic, educational, cultural, tourism, communication, urban development, administrative, and infrastructure sectors.
The conception and development of this comprehensive mid to long-term Metaverse policy plan is one of the key strategies aimed to make Seoul a “future emotional city,” as it was suggested by Mayor Oh Se-hoon, toward his Seoul Vision 2030.
With Seoul established as the first city in the Metaverse, others will follow
For some, the emergence of the Metaverse may sound dystopian. For some others, this might be the most exciting technological advancement that they will perhaps experience in their lifetime. Either way, the Metaverse signifies a window into what the future will bring and that future starts right now. The future is a matter of the present.