South Korea Grants Conditional Approval for Google to Export Detailed Map Data

After years of inconvenience faced by foreign tourists and users, South Korea has conditionally permitted Google to export highly precise map data to overseas servers. The government's decision on Friday is seen as paving the way for Google Maps to operate fully in Korea.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the request by Google to export detailed mapping data at a 1:5,000 scale was approved following a review by government officials and private experts. However, the ministry clarified that the permission is conditional, allowing the transfer of only limited data necessary for navigation services, prohibiting the inclusion of sensitive details like contour lines, and requiring the adoption of additional security measures.

The ministry stated that Google must first process the data on servers within South Korea in the initial phase, and only then can it be exported with government approval. Furthermore, the government has demanded that Google remove precise coordinates related to South Korean territory and blur satellite and aerial imagery of military and other sensitive sites in time-series services like Google Earth and Street View.

The government has directed Google to appoint a compliance officer in South Korea to manage issues related to map data export. The ministry indicated that the approval could be suspended or revoked if the specified conditions are not met.

Chris Turner, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, stated in an emailed statement that the company "welcomes today's decision" and looks forward to "continuing to work with local authorities to provide a fully functional Google Maps in Korea."

Previously, South Korea had rejected Google's request for detailed map data export for years, citing national security concerns and a policy requiring sensitive geographical information to be kept on domestic servers. Due to these restrictions, South Korea was among the few countries where the globally popular Google Maps usage was limited. Consequently, local users often relied on services from domestic internet companies like Naver and Kakao.

Critics had argued that these restrictions increased dissatisfaction among foreign visitors and negatively impacted the tourism sector. They suggested that the limited use of Google Maps could have directly affected South Korea as it seeks to establish itself as a major international travel destination.