The metaverse, which uses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), enables humans to engage in social, cultural, and economic activities in simulated virtual spaces. After creating personalized characters, entrepreneurs can experiment with different products and interact with their business partners.
"We became the first domestic company to build a metaverse factory through a government support project," Chong Kun Dang's spokesperson Park Jee-yeon told Aju Business Daily on June 15. The pharmaceutical firm said a two-way control technology would be actualized to handle issues that could happen during the actual manufacturing process. The platform is set to be adopted in the second half of 2024.
Through the virtual plant, Chong Kun Dang will focus on maintaining a clean environment for pharmaceutical manufacturing. "As we were selected to carry out a metaverse factory establishment project for the first time in the domestic pharmaceutical field, we will set a successful example of digital transformation," an unnamed Chong Kun Dang official was quoted as saying.
The South Korean company has presented various types of medicines. Earlier this month, the South Korean company was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to release CKD-396, a treatment for type 2 diabetes, one of the most common diabetes caused by extremely high blood sugar levels.
The adoption of metaverse factories is steadily gaining momentum in South Korea. In April 2023, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) showcased its virtual factory where users can monitor and control a real factory located in the southern port city of Ulsan at a global trade fair in Germany. If a dangerous situation is detected at the actual site, operators will be notified through the AI system.