Immersive Technologies in South Korea
A Global Expert Mission, funded by the Audience of the Future Challenge Fund (AotF) and focused on immersive technologies in South Korea, took place virtually in April 2021, during a period of COVID-19 travel restrictions. Delegates met virtually with representatives from the public and private sectors, including government, industry, research and academia. This report summarises the information and insights gathered during the mission.
In 2021, Innovate UK KTN commissioned a Global Technology Report focused on Immersive Technologies. This was followed by this virtual Expert Mission in 2021.
Abstract from outcome report:
The Immersive Technologies Global Expert Mission to South Korea took place online in April 2021. The aim was to better understand the immersive technology landscape in South Korea and to identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. The delegation focused on a broad range of thematic areas and how immersive technologies apply, ranging across gaming, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, training and education.
South Korea and the United Kingdom have rich immersive technology landscapes, and experts from both countries demonstrated an appetite to strengthen collaboration opportunities and explore mechanisms to facilitate bilateral research and development. The South Korean Immersive Technologies landscape is diverse and sophisticated. Through the mission, UK delegates learned about supportive South Korean government policies and technological capabilities. Furthermore, both the UK and South Korea share a passion for immersive technologies and a belief in their future application and adoption.
While both countries have shared priorities, the mission also noted a number of shared challenges, including hardware limitations, barriers to mass adoption and access to funding and finance. Overcoming such challenges will require a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. Through the mission, delegates were able to identify a number of key opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange, which could leverage the strength of the two countries.
In April 2021, experts in Immersive Technologies from across the UK and South Korea came together virtually to share learning and experiences. The resulting discussions clearly highlighted the importance of new and emerging immersive technologies across all sectors, from healthcare to gaming. This mission also took place against the backdrop of COVID-19, and we witnessed more than ever the need to build mutually beneficial partnerships and facilitate knowledge transfer to address common challenges and opportunities. Innovate UK and the Audience of the Future Challenge Fund are committed to supporting UK businesses to collaborate internationally and to be the most successful and innovative they can be. This mission is an important step towards delivering on this commitment in the Immersive Technologies space.
– Matt Sansam, Head of Delivery for AoFC, Innovate UK
About Global Expert Missions
The Global Expert Missions (GEM) programme is funded by Innovate UK and designed to build international collaborations with governments, societies, enterprises, institutions, and people from every corner of the globe. With global challenges requiring international perspectives, the programme aims to support the UK government’s ambition to be the international partner of choice and a global hub for innovation by 2035.