The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS, President Lee Jeong-hwan), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, has been recognized for its achievement in enabling online communication for the entire nation using a metaverse it created without any construction costs.

On the 27th, Sojaeyeon announced that it won the grand prize in the 'Metaverse' category at the '9th SNS of the Year' hosted by the Korea Social Content Promotion Association.

Material Yeon operates various social media channels such as blogs, posts, Instagram, and YouTube, and is actively promoting itself online.

The institutional metaverse, 'META KIMS', is available online to all citizens, including youth and entrepreneurs from other regions outside of Gyeongnam, where the research center is located, allowing them to virtually visit the research center from afar.

What makes it special is that it was built entirely by researchers themselves, without any costs incurred in building the metaverse. The department in charge, the External Cooperation Office of the Materials Research Institute, is currently carrying out one-stop operations from production to operation by quickly reflecting user opinions received through 'Metakims'.

'Metakims' is divided into three spaces (play zone/R&D zone/space for everyone).

The Play Zone offers materials science and cultural content for the general public, while the R&D Zone offers research results and content for businesspeople and specialists. Furthermore, the Space for All offers a variety of meeting and relaxation spaces, open to all.

This year, the Materials Research Institute held a 'National META KIMS Treasure Hunt Event' to encourage many people to visit 'Meta Kims' and fully enjoy it, which received a positive response from users.

Director Lee Jeong-hwan of the Materials Research Institute said, “The metaverse is a space where we can increase communication points with the public in line with the ontact trend that has become active since the endemic,” and added, “We will strive to continue open communication through ‘Metakims’ by providing interest and information on materials science.”

Now in its ninth year, the "SNS of the Year" awards are hosted by the Korea Social Content Promotion Association and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Influencer Industry Association. Established in 2015, the awards evaluate the use of social media platforms (blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Kakao Story, YouTube, etc.) to identify and promote companies and organizations that actively engage with customers and the public, and further foster a culture of positive social media usage. Each year, the awards select outstanding organizations through a credible evaluation process, contributing to fostering a culture of active social media communication.