Seoul, Feb 27 (AP) South Korea’s government on Friday said it will allow Google to export detailed mapping data of the country to overseas servers under specific security conditions. The move comes after years of complaints from foreign travellers who found that Google Maps did not function effectively in the country.
Following a review by government officials and private experts, authorities approved Google’s request to export 1:5,000-scale high-precision map data, subject to strict safeguards. These include limiting data transfers to what is necessary for navigation services and excluding contour lines and other sensitive information.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Google must first process the data on domestic servers and obtain government clearance before exporting it.
Authorities also directed Google to remove coordinates related to 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 be required to appoint a compliance officer in South Korea to oversee map export matters. The ministry said the government may suspend or revoke approval if the company fails to meet the stipulated conditions.
In an emailed statement, Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, said the company welcomes the decision and looks forward to working with local officials to bring fully functional Google Maps services to South Korea.
For years, South Korean authorities had rejected Google’s request to export detailed mapping data, citing national security concerns and the need to store sensitive geographic information on domestic servers.
These restrictions have made South Korea one of the few countries where Google Maps has limited functionality, with most residents relying on local platforms such as Naver and Kakao.
Critics argue that the limitations have led to complaints from foreign visitors and may be affecting tourism, as South Korea seeks to strengthen its position as a major global travel destination. (AP)