South Korea’s government has approved Google’s request to export detailed mapping data to overseas servers. The tech giant was permitted to export Google Maps data from the country, provided it complied with certain security terms.
This is a major policy change for South Korea after several years of restrictions. The move is intended to resolve complaints from international visitors who claimed Google Maps did not work correctly in the country due to restrictions on the transfer of high-precision data.After a review by government and private experts, the South Korean government agreed to permit the export of 1:5,000-scale map data, subject to Google meeting certain security terms, according to the AP news agency.
These terms include limiting data transfers to those required for navigation functions and excluding contour information and other geographical details.For years, South Korea had denied similar requests from companies such as Google and Apple, citing national security concerns, including the potential misuse of geographic data by North Korea.
What conditions does Google have to meet to export Maps data from South Korea
According to the AP report, South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said Google must first process the mapping data on domestic servers and obtain government approval before transferring it overseas.
Authorities have also directed the company to remove geographic coordinates for South Korean territory and to blur satellite and aerial images of military and other sensitive locations in time-based services such as Google Earth and Street View.In addition, Google will be required to appoint a compliance officer in South Korea to manage issues related to the export of map data. The ministry said the government may suspend or withdraw its approval if the company does not meet the stated conditions.
What Google said about South Korea’s decision
In an emailed statement seen by AP, Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, said the company “welcomes today’s decision and looks forward to ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring fully functioning Google Maps to Korea.”South Korea’s policies have made it one of the few countries where Google Maps operates with limitations, with many residents relying instead on local services such as Naver and Kakao.Apart from security considerations, South Korean authorities have also raised concerns about the potential business impact on domestic firms. Some experts supporting the restrictions have said that control over national mapping data is a matter of “sovereignty”, as it supports technologies such as autonomous vehicles, robotics and data-driven “smart cities”.However, critics have argued that the restrictions may slow innovation and harm tourism, citing complaints from foreign visitors. In South Korea, Google Maps still does not provide full walking and driving directions.
