On August 4, 2023, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and Metaro, led by CEO Yoo Jin, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at VANK’s Seoul office to collaborate on “Digital Metaverse Diplomacy.” This partnership aims to empower Korean youth with the skills to promote Korea’s rich history and culture globally while establishing a metaverse platform dedicated to accurately presenting Korea to the world.

Under this agreement, VANK and Metaro will develop a metaverse platform for education, exhibitions, and cultural exchanges. They plan to create new metaverse spaces, expand them internationally, and manage the platform while also developing a mentoring system for youth careers. The goal is to cultivate young Koreans as digital metaverse diplomats and Korean cultural ambassadors.

VANK previously signed an MOU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 6, 2022, to advance digital public diplomacy. Since January 31, they have trained the first and second cohorts of “Digital Metaverse Diplomats,” who have built metaverse exhibition halls and created digital content to share Korean history and culture with a global audience. They are also engaging in global issue advocacy through the petition platform www.bridgeasia.net.

Metaro, specializing in 2D metaverse map creation using a 3D rendering system, has been collaborating with public institutions, schools, governments, and companies since 2021 to develop metaverse environments.

Together, VANK and Metaro will build a metaverse platform covering Korean history, culture, Hallyu’s historical roots, Dokdo, the East Sea, and independence activists. This initiative will allow Korean youth and VANK members to accurately represent Korea, foster international exchanges, and engage in global problem-solving.

VANK emphasized that with over 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide, interest in Korea is at an all-time high. They expect this metaverse initiative to further enhance global engagement with Korean history and culture, serving as a crucial stepping stone for broader international outreach.