South Korea's science ministry on Wednesday said it has selected five consortiums, including the one led by the country's largest fixed-line and broadband operator KT Corp., to carry out various virtual reality projects.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said it will invest 3.78 billion won ($3.39 million) in the projects and another 4 billion won will be funded by the private firms.

The government earlier announced a package of measures to foster the VR industry, saying that the sector will be added to the list of "new industries."

The government said it will expand its VR-related support to the construction, education and medical service fields beyond gaming and theme parks.

Under the plan, the consortiums will focus on the country's VR platform and content development instead of just hardware, officials said.

Five consortiums, including the one with KT, will develop content that deals with K-pop stars, such as touring around various spots with the stars, they said.

The ministry will also provide content that allows potential visitors to experience how it feels when they come to various tourist spots across the country, such as the southern resort island of Jeju. (Yonhap)