The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has announced the formation of the Metaverse Advisory Group during the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 6 meeting held in London, UK, this past June, as proposed by South Korea. This newly established group will oversee the international standardization efforts related to Metaverse communications, and will be led by principal researcher Hyun Wook. The Metaverse is increasingly recognized as a next-generation internet technology that integrates virtual experiences with the physical world. This development signifies a crucial step that showcases South Korea’s prominent role in the global standardization of emerging technologies, which is anticipated to positively influence the worldwide adoption of related innovations and enhance industrial competitiveness.
Currently, various organizations engaged in standardization are making strides to create essential interoperability standards for Metaverse services. Not only are official bodies such as ISO, IEC, and ITU-T developing formal standards, but industry groups, including the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) led by Khronos Group, the Open Metaverse Alliance (OMA3), and IEEE SA, are also working toward establishing de facto standards. These entities are in competition to form new metaverse-related working groups that will help them secure leadership and influence within the market.
South Korea has a history of actively contributing to the international standardization of significant information and communication technology (ICT) advancements, including telecommunications, broadcasting, and satellite technologies. With the establishment of the Metaverse Advisory Group, the country is reinforcing its position as a key player in the global standardization of Metaverse communications.
The group will act as a central hub for the standardization of Metaverse communication technologies within the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 6 framework, directing overall strategy and focus. Its responsibilities include identifying new standardization projects related to the Metaverse, prioritizing technical standardization efforts, creating international standardization roadmaps, and establishing collaborative frameworks with other standardization bodies. Given the rapid evolution of Metaverse technology, the group’s primary objective will be to ensure that standardization initiatives keep pace with these advancements through proactive strategic planning.
The initiatives put forth by this group will offer guidance for technology development in Metaverse-related companies, enabling them to maintain a competitive edge in the global market. Furthermore, it positions these companies favorably for future international licensing of relevant patents and technologies.
Hyun Wook, who has been appointed as the group’s convenor, also holds the position of Associate Rapporteur focused on metaverse and multimedia frameworks within ITU-T SG21 Q9. Drawing upon his extensive expertise, he aims to spearhead the formulation and execution of an international standardization strategy for the Metaverse.
This meeting was also notably the first chaired by ETRI’s principal researcher, Dr. Kang Shin Gak, who was elected as the SC 6 Chair at the JTC 1 plenary meeting in November 2024. Dr. Kang has been acknowledged for his exemplary leadership in international standardization, having previously chaired various significant groups including the ITU-T Focus Group on Metaverse (FG-MV), the Joint Coordination Activities on Metaverse Standardization (JCA-MV), and WP4 of ITU-T SG 21.
Additionally, a template for the Preliminary Working Item (PWI) study report was officially adopted as a significant accomplishment of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 6/AHG 4 (Ad Hoc Group for Best Practices), which is chaired by South Korea. This new template will enhance the quality and consistency of the standardization processes within SC 6 by providing clear guidance and structure to documents.
ISO/IEC JTC 1, formed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), is a technical committee dedicated to information technology standardization, wielding considerable influence over the global industry. The committee is composed of various advisory, ad hoc, coordination, and working groups, along with 23 subcommittees (SCs).
Among these subcommittees, SC 6 focuses on the development of international standards for communication and information exchange between systems. This encompasses a wide range of areas, including near field communication (NFC), future networks, communication protocols for unmanned aerial vehicles, and directory services. Dr. Kang Shin Gak currently serves as the Chair of this subcommittee.
Beyond the formation of the new Advisory Group, ETRI has been at the forefront of the ITU-T Focus Group on Metaverse (FG-MV) since 2022. Under ETRI’s guidance, FG-MV has produced 52 pre-standardization deliverables. Looking ahead, ETRI intends to maintain its leadership role as the chair of the newly established ITU-T Joint Coordination Activity on Metaverse Standardization (JCA-MV), which is set to begin in 2025.
Lee Seung Yun, Assistant Vice President of ETRI’s Standards Research Division, commented, “As metaverse technologies extend beyond entertainment into various sectors, leading the SC 6 meeting and establishing the Advisory Group has laid a systematic foundation for South Korea to spearhead international standardization efforts. We will work vigorously to ensure future market leadership in these emerging industries through research-driven standardization.”
Although the Metaverse market faced hurdles after its premature launch during the pandemic, major global corporations like Nvidia, Google, Apple, and Meta continue to invest substantially in core technologies. This pattern is typical in emerging markets, where the eventual market dynamics distinguish successful entities from those that falter, with the survivors typically achieving market dominance.
The Metaverse industry is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.4%, increasing from $105.4 billion in 2024 to an estimated $936.6 billion by 2030, as reported by the global market research firm Grand View Research. Key drivers of this growth include advancements in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, the rise of digital asset trading, and the increasing integration of Metaverse applications in sectors such as gaming, education, entertainment, and manufacturing.
Moreover, as generative AI enhances the Metaverse and diversifies its content, it is expected to evolve into a more intelligent and autonomous platform, becoming a fundamental pillar of the future internet and a crucial component of national and corporate competitiveness. ETRI will continue to actively engage in securing international standards through ISO/IEC JTC 1 and ITU-T in critical technology areas, including interoperability of Metaverse platforms and virtual convergence service integration, while also striving to bolster global competitiveness in related industries.
