Ministry of Unification to introduce North Korean metaverse tours

[Courtesy of Ministry of Unification]

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification said on Friday that the National Institute for Unification Education, its unification education body, will unveil a metaverse platform that is inspired by the memories of those who were separated from their families during the Korean War in the 1950s.

The augmented-reality space recreated the North Korean cities of Pyongyang, Jinnampo, and Hamheung, drawing upon the personal anecdotes and memories of three individuals from different families spanning the periods of the Korean War.

In the space, users can find local landmarks and sites in North Korea, such as the Taedong River Bridge and Taedong Gage in Pyongyang, the lighthouse at Nampo Port (called Jin Nampo Port at the time), and Youngsaeng Girls‘ High School in Hamheung.

Users can access this content by searching for “Metaverse Family Homecoming” on the Roblox Metaverse platform, which will be available from September 27.

In a separate announcement, the ministry said the ongoing exhibition on human rights in North Korea would continue until April 2024. The exhibition, open to all soldiers on September 11, displayed photos, drawings, and text exposing North Korea’s human rights violations and abuse, as well as reflections on how the international community has addressed these issues.