Israel Embassy in Korea launches metaverse diplomacy

The Metaverse is expected to provide resources in the Israel-South Korea relationship that has never existed before.

Ambassador Akiva Tor and his avatar in Metaverse (photo credit: AMBASSADOR AKIVA TOR)
Ambassador Akiva Tor and his avatar in Metaverse
(photo credit: AMBASSADOR AKIVA TOR)

The Israeli Embassy in South Korea launched what it is calling the first diplomatic mission in the metaverse.

The metaverse means the virtual reality world, and is the word used for Facebook's VR platform.

The Israel-Korea Metaverse Platform is meant to resemble the Israel Museum's Shrine of the Book and features an exhibit marking 60 years of relations between the countries, as well as a space for Israelis and Koreans to meet in VR.

Visitors are greeted by an Albert Einstein avatar.

How will the Metaverse improve foreign relations?

The embassy plans to hold Hebrew and Korean language lessons in the metaverse and other programs, including film festivals and business meetings.

Israeli Ambassador to South Korea Akiva Tor said "the initiative illustrates Israeli innovation...For us, this is just the beginning of personal and interactive relations between countries."

The project comes at a time of closer relations between Jerusalem and Seoul, with a new free trade agreement - Israel's first in East Asia - and direct Korean Air flights expected to begin at the end of the year.