On May 31, 2023, VANK and UT Plus Interactive (CEO Yoo Tae-yeon) signed an MOU at VANK’s office in Bomun-dong, Seoul, to collaborate on building and expanding a metaverse platform that enables Korean youth to promote Korea’s history and culture on a global scale.

Through this partnership, the two organizations will:
✅ Develop a metaverse platform for education, promotion, exhibitions, and cultural exchange related to Korea
✅ Provide training programs for youth to manage and expand Korean-themed metaverse spaces internationally
✅ Equip young Koreans with the skills to become digital ambassadors in metaverse environments

VANK has been at the forefront of digital diplomacy, signing an MOU with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2022. Since then, it has trained 83 Digital Metaverse Diplomats in its first cohort and is currently training a second group. These youth ambassadors create virtual exhibitions and digital content to introduce Korea’s history and culture to the world while also participating in global advocacy initiatives through www.bridgeasia.net.

UT Plus Interactive, which launched the global metaverse platform “DitoLand” in April 2021, allows users to create and share their own digital spaces and content.

With this collaboration, VANK and UT Plus will develop a metaverse platform focusing on Korean history, culture, Hallyu, Dokdo, the East Sea, and independence activists. This initiative will empower Korean youth to engage with the international community, promote Korea accurately, and contribute to solving global issues.

VANK emphasized, “With over 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide, interest in Korea is at an all-time high. This MOU will further amplify global awareness of Korea’s history and culture through the metaverse.”