KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

Executive Summary

As interest in the metaverse grows and global corporate investment takes shape, policies related to the metaverse and XR/NFT are being announced in major overseas countries. Countries have drawn policy attention to XR, an important metaverse technology, and are currently preparing or starting to announce policies to link XR with the metaverse or to take the lead in the metaverse. Korea has been preparing to establish the national metaverse strategy from the beginning of 2021, and announced a pan-government strategy on metaverse in January 2022. This report examines the contents of each country's metaverse policy announcements in detail, and provides implications for reinforcing domestic metaverse policies. The United States recognizes XR, an important implementation technology of the metaverse, as one of focus technology areas in which the United States must maintain scientific and technological leadership, and supports the development of important technologies such as XR-based simulation through public-private collaboration focusing on public demand. In the case of NFTs, management and supervision for financial stability and consumer protection are being strengthened. China is promoting the metaverse support policy in terms of fostering high-tech industries for the development of the national digital economy. The 'Execution Plan for Virtual Reality and Industrial Application and Integrated Development ('22~'26)' announced in November 2022 is Focusing on the deep integration of next-generation information technologies such as blockchain and digital twin and the utilization of 'virtual reality + industry', it aims to achieve a total of 350 billion yuan of the virtual reality industry by 2026. In line with the central government's policy stance, local governments are actively supporting the development of the metaverse industry, such as raising funds for business development, building industrial bases, and facilitating industrial utilization. Investment interest in NFTs is high, but regulations to prevent overheating of the market are expected to begin. Europe is supporting the development of core technologies such as XR, AI, data, and digital twin that implement the metaverse, and Europe is preparing an initiative to lead the metaverse. The EU Commission expressed its intention to investigate new digital opportunities and trends such as metaverse in the Letter of Intent containing the government direction for 2023. The EU initially excluded NFT regulations from the ‘Markets in Crypto- Assets Regulation(MiCA)’, but there is a possibility that it could be included in the future. The UK recognizes XR as an important future technology and is actively supporting the convergence of XR and industry, emphasizing the importance of the metaverse linked to the XR industry and the need to prepare. The UK's XR industry is worth ￡1.4 billion, and as the metaverse is emerging as an important trend, the number of metaverse companies and employees is steadily increasing. The UK aims to become a global crypto-asset technology hub, and has announced plans to issue its own NFTs through the Royal Mint In consideration of the rise in the business value of virtual space and the spread of blockchain-based management and transactions such as NFTs, Japan is preparing to investigate the potential opportunities, risks, and business environment of the metaverse and Web 3.0. Japan is emphasizing the potential to lead NFT and Web 3.0 based on intellectual property rights such as games and animation. In July 2022, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry established the 'Web 3.0 Policy Office. The Middle East is striving to concentrate investment and attract companies in future fields such as metaverse and block chain to diversify the industrial structure focused on the oil industry. By announcing the Dubai Metaverse Strategy in 2022, Dubai aims to grow into one of the world's top 10 cities in terms of the size of the Metaverse economy. Although we have established a national metaverse strategy for the first time in the world, it is necessary to strengthen metaverse policies such as continuous expansion of investment and preparation of long-term policy foundations in a situation where competition for leadership at the national level is expected. Through the 'Metaverse Alliance' and 'Metaverse Public-Private TF', policy proposals from the private, academia, and research circles needs to be actively collected, and the metaverse mutual cooperation with overseas consultative bodies is required to be established to promote the establishment of a private-led, global Metaverse ecosystem. Expand support for subdivision and development of core technologies such as XR device technology, semiconductor technology, and network technology for the realization of high-performance metaverse with a high sense of immersion. In addition, it is necessary to select areas where the effect of metaverse utilization is tangible and to solve economic and social issues that require urgent response as priority areas to apply the metaverse technology and service.