South Korea's standard agency said Thursday it will spare no efforts to lead the global standardization of technologies related to the metaverse as the industry is expected to further expand down the road amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Online meetings and lectures, along with remote working, have emerged as a new norm amid the pandemic," Lee Sang-hoon, who heads the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, said during the International Display Standardization Forum held virtually on the day.

"South Korea will provide any necessary support for businesses seeking to set technology standards in the field," he added.

The metaverse refers to a 3-D virtual shared world, in which all activities can take place with the help of augmented- and virtual-reality services.

Such platforms have grown in popularity over the past year as people shift their activities online amid the pandemic.

The standard agency said it is important for South Korea to acquire core technologies, such as flexible and transparent displays as displays play a key role in promoting the metaverse ecosystem. (Yonhap)