South Korea to launch 'Pororo Go,' which is basically 'Pokémon Go' for kids

Well, that didn't take long.

Quick to ride on the Pokémon Go craze is South Korean startup SocialNetwork Co., who is already creating a similar augmented reality game to the Niantic version.

According to Korea Herald, the startup will be basing the game on the country's well-loved animation "Pororo the Little Penguin." SocialNetwork has already been given the greenlight by Pororo's producers, Iconix Entertainment.

And of course, this new game is called Pororo Go.

SocialNetwork's CEO Park Soo-wang said in a statement that the new game is unlike Pokémon Go, because it is meant to be an augmented reality game for children not adults.

Since news of this game development was made public on Tuesday, concerns have been raised on whether it'll be safe for kids to wander around with their noses buried in their phones, especially if Pororo Go was to follow the format of Pokémon Go.

In order to progress in the game, Pokémon trainers have to explore public places (usually on foot) to catch monsters and find Gyms and PokéStops to train and evolve them.

"As the game is meant for children under elementary school age, we will stay mindful of the potential concerns and side effects that may emerge from the game," Park said.

Details of the new game are still sparse at the moment, but a release date is said to be for some time at the end of this year.

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