South Korea allows Google to export map data after years of frustration

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea’s government said on Friday it would allow Google to export the country’s detailed mapping data to foreign servers under certain security requirements, responding to years of frustration by foreign travelers who find Google Maps doesn’t work effectively in the country.

After a review by government officials and private experts, officials have approved Google’s request to export the 1:5,000-scale, high-precision map data on the condition that transfers are limited to data needed for navigation services and security safeguards are implemented to exclude contours and other sensitive information.

South Korean officials have for years rejected requests from foreign technology companies such as Google and Apple to transfer detailed mapping data to overseas servers, often citing security concerns such as the risk of rival North Korea exploiting sensitive geographic information.

Google must first process the data on domestic servers and obtain government permission before exporting it, the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport said. Officials required Google to remove coordinates from South Korean territory and blur satellite and aerial images of military and other sensitive sites in time-series services such as Google Earth and Street View.

Google will have to hire a compliance officer in South Korea to handle map export issues, and the government can suspend or revoke approval if the company fails to comply with the conditions, the ministry said.

In an e-mailed statement, Chris 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 authorities to bring fully functional Google Maps to Korea.”

South Korea is one of the few countries with limited use of Google Maps, where restrictions are globally dominant, with locals largely relying on services from South Korean internet companies such as Naver and Kakao.

Apart from security issues, there are also concerns about the impact of trade on domestic institutions. Some experts in favor of sanctions have argued that control over national mapping data is a matter of “sovereignty”, as it underpins emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles, robotics and data-driven “smart cities”.

Critics say the restrictions stifle innovation and could undermine tourism, citing complaints from foreign visitors. In South Korea, Google Maps does not have complete walking and driving directions.