1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (‘MOFA’) hosted the "KOREAZ Metaverse Global Festival" on September 18th to foster a closer network among supporters who promote Korea in the digital space. This event took place in the metaverse platform called "Play Together," where users participated in the on-going global reforestation campaign, 'Plant Our Planet (POP),' jointly conducted by MOFA, the Korea Forest Service (KFS), and UNICEF Korea. It was also attended by the KOREAZ Honorary Reporters who are active in Korea and the digital supporters from overseas Korean missions worldwide. MOFA currently has some 1,250 active digital supporters. This event transpired in four different time zones, and consisted of various programs to include watching the video clips of their previous activities and participating in diverse social engagements.

2. Mr. Hong Seok-in, Ambassador for Public Diplomacy at MOFA, quoted from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland during his welcome remarks, saying, "Every adventure requires a first step." He highlighted the fact that the attendees had taken their first step as a partner to Korea in promoting the nation to the world. He expressed his hope that they would continue to play a bridging role between Korea and their homelands, and furthermore between Korea and the world.

3. The significance of this event lies in the establishment of a new networking platform for future generations in the digital era by utilizing the metaverse. It showcased Korea’s excellent science and technology to the world and contributed to heightening Korea’s national image. MOFA will continue to use new technologies, such as the metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI), etc., to expand the realm of its digital public diplomacy.

* KOREAZ is a digital public diplomacy social media account operated by MOFA (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X).