Residents of the capital city of South Korea can now access official documents, file complaints, and solve some tax reporting issues using virtual space.
Mayor of Seoul, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Korea, Oh Se-hoon announced the launch of Metaverse Seoul, an online platform for citizens to virtually visit the city’s attractions and gain access to online consulting rooms.
In the Metaverse Seoul space, the following municipal services can be accessed:
- reading copies of official documents;
- filing complaints;
- paying municipal taxes and consulting on filing tax returns;
- communicating with government officials;
- visiting the city’s tourist infrastructure virtually.
The project primarily relies on user privacy and data security. According to a local media report, the government of Seoul spent over 2 billion won (~$1.6 million) to create Metaverse Seoul. Plans for further development of the project include possible expansion of municipal services in virtual space. For example, the creation of specialized centers in the Metaverse, which will allow entering into real estate rental contracts without having to visit physical offices.
In addition, the Seoul authorities plan to address the issue of adapting to Metaverse Seoul for senior citizens. They make up over 17% of South Korea’s population, Statista reports. According to Oh Se-hoon, they’re the ones who have the most trouble traveling to municipal offices in person.
Last year, the Republic of Korea announced plans to invest $1.8 billion in the Metaverse sector, causing an acceleration in the adoption of crypto legislation. In late 2022, the government issued guidelines for key ethical principles for Metaverse projects.
