Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's metaverse platform "Virtual Gangwon," built with high expectations to host the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games in metaverse space, terminated service after IOC license expiration and transitioned to "Gangwon Metaverse." The platform (soft-opened November 17, 2023; official opening planned December 2023) was a large-scale project with approximately 20 months of preparation and 51 billion won budget, implementing Olympic host cities including Pyeongchang and Gangneung in virtual space with AR immersive content and live sports broadcasting (2D/3D). The service terminated on March 31, 2024 due to expiration of Olympic-related intellectual property rights, with "Gangwon Metaverse" continuing the online service. Key implications for public metaverse governance: (1) Technical and economic sustainability challenges for government-led metaverse platforms; (2) Need for thorough preparation in license management, service continuity, and stakeholder alignment; (3) Government and local authority-led metaverse projects must secure stability and efficiency simultaneously. Reference: Exploratory Study on Public Metaverse Governance (academic paper examining integrated governance frameworks with practical implications for public sector metaverse operations). This case raises important questions about how governments can develop sustainable digital public infrastructure rather than event-driven platforms.
Gangwon Province 'Virtual Gangwon' Ends With IOC License Expiry — Transitions to 'Gangwon Metaverse'
[Korean article] 강원특별자치도 ′버추얼 강원′, IOC 라이선스 만료로 서비스 종료...′강원 메타버스′로 전환

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