Virtual Seoul City Hall via beta release of Metaverse Seoul

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) developed and released a mobile app to launch its pilot service of virtual Seoul City Hall for citizens to experience Metaverse Seoul, which was announced in October 2021 as the first-ever virtual platform for local government being developed in response to the fast-changing environment of municipal administration ranging from post-pandemic affairs to general public services. The newly released app features Seoul City Hall in a 3D virtual space where users can personalize their own avatar and visit the lobby and the mayor’s office, submit petitions, and interact with other users and especially the avatar of Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Users can take selfies and group photos as well as play the mini-game Find Haechi. The city is planning to make use of this beta test as an opportunity to collect citizens’ general feedback and identify operational deficiencies to enhance the Metaverse Seoul platform that is currently in development. Metaverse Seoul will be rolled out when fully developed, and it is planned to support mediated communication, such as virtual meetings, conferences and public hearings, as an interactive social channel. The platform will enable text and voice chat with a translation feature for easy access by domestic and global users alike. Seoul will expand the application of the metaverse platform to its overall municipal governance, including economy, culture, education, and administration. As an unprecedented public service platform, Metaverse Seoul will link the city’s essential administrative information system as well as provide creative content that combines entertainment and experience. Seoul will be able to establish a foothold as a smart city based on its urban competitiveness with excellent digital resources and infrastructure. Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seoulcity.metaverse