This photo shows SK Telecom Co.’s booth at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. SK Telecom showcased a four-dimensional metaverse service that allows users to experience the virtual world on a robotic arm.
SEOUL, March 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s three major mobile carriers — SK Telecom Co., KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. — demonstrated high interest in metaverse technology at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 held last week, based on different motives.
SK Telecom, the most fervent supporter of metaverse platforms, plans to take its metaverse platform ‘Ifland’, released last July, to 80 countries worldwide.
“I believe that SK Telecom is the only mobile carrier in the world that properly knows how to work with metaverse platforms,” SK Telecom CEO Yoo Young-sang said at a press conference held on Feb. 28.
“We’ve received numerous meeting calls at the MWC to cooperate in the field of metaverse development.”
In contrast, KT and LG Uplus seemed relatively cautious when approaching the metaverse business.
“It is too early to say which way we should pursue,” said Yoon Kyung-rim, head of KT’s Group Transformation Division, at a press conference held on March 1. “We plan to keep on experimenting,”
“Studio Genie will continue to develop a variety of content while we strengthen our partnership with other content developers. We plan to set up virtual transaction platforms in the metaverse through K-Bank (a South Korean internet-only bank),” he added.
Hwang Hyeon-sik, CEO of LG Uplus, also told reporters at a press conference held on March 1 that he was “very interested in metaverse technology.”
“Extended reality content will take on an important role in metaverse platforms,” he said.
“While metaverse is the new rising trend, we’d like to stay away from coming up with ‘big platforms’. Rather, we’d like to come up with a service that, combined with metaverse, can generate surplus value.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
