This image is from the metaverse campus of King Sejong Institute. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)
By Yoo Yeon Gyeong
The newly launched metaverse campus of King Sejong Institute offers Korean-language instruction anywhere and anytime.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Feb. 7 said it is officially running the metaverse campus (http://ksif.zep.site) from this year jointly with the King Sejong Institute Foundation.
The campus is an educational service to teach non-Koreans to communicate through and learn Korean in a virtual space representing reality. It was founded given the explosive growth of global demand for Korean-language education, with 10,000 people on the waiting list to attend institute branches abroad.
Students can customize their avatars, access the metaverse space, chat with people abroad or have video conversations. By using artificial intelligence (AI) installed at attractions, they can also learn Korean phrases for use in specific situations such as exercising, shopping and visiting a hospital.
The metaverse campus comprises "campus space" and "village space." The campus space has a lecture hall for Korean-language lessons, an interactive cultural hall to experience Korean culture and a ceremonial venue for hosting large events. The village space features Korean conversation practice while experiencing virtual versions of major Korean attractions like Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul Station, Hangang Park and Gwangjang Market.
To mark its official launch, the campus pre-released an escape room map and two types of 360-degree virtual reality (VR) videos that vividly present life in Korea.
The campus will keep providing fresh content for users every month in order by releasing new maps of Korean folk villages and amusement parks, 12 new 360-degree VR videos, and three types of game content to experience Korean language and culture.
From November to December last year, the ministry and the foundation tested the metaverse campus, during which a daily average of 480 people in 123 countries logged into the service and communicated in Korean.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for Culture and Arts Policy Yoon Sungchun said, "With the growing influence of Korean culture, people around the world are interested in the Korean language and Korea more than ever," adding, "We laid the cornerstone to increase the number of students at King Sejong Institute from 150,000 last year to 500,000 by 2027."
dusrud21@korea.kr
